Michael Phelps, the swimmer who won Eight Record Gold Medals at the Beijing Games, acknowledges the authenticity of the photos  taken of him smoking marijuana. 
 
In a statement released to  the Associated Press ,Phelps said: “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”