I never faced clean international field, claims Phelps
Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, believes he never raced against a completely clean international field.
The American former swimmer, 31, wants US lawmakers to push for global anti-doping reforms.
“I don’t believe I’ve stood up at an international competition and the rest of the field has been clean,” he said.
Phelps was giving evidence at a US House of Representatives hearing into improving antidoping measures.
The US government helps to fund the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the committee could recommend giving more money to the organisation.
Phelps, who won 23 Olympic gold medals, added: “Throughout my career, I have thought that some athletes were cheating and in some cases those suspicions were confirmed.
“Given all the testing I and others have been through, I have a hard time understanding this.”
Phelps spoke out against drugs cheats at the Rio Olympics.
When asked about Russian Yulia Efimova, who won Olympic silver after two positive tests, he said dopers returning to elite action “breaks his heart”.
A report commissioned by Wada and written by lawyer Richard McLaren claimed in December that more than 1,000 Russian athletes benefited from a statesponsored doping programme between 2011 and 2015.