Washington, Feb 2: Olympic golden boy Michael Phelps has apologised for photos showing him using a bong, an implement used to smoke cannabis.

The pics published in Britain''s News of the World were taken in November at a University of South Carolina house party.

"I engaged in behaviour which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Usmagazine. com quoted Phelps as saying.

"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.

London, Feb 1 : Olympic hero Michael Phelps is back in news, but this time, it's all for the wrong reasons - the swimmer has been snapped using a bong, an implement used to smoke cannabis.

British tabloid, News of the World, has posted a picture Saturday evening which they claim is 14-time Olympic Gold medallist Phelps taking a bong hit at a college in South Carolina.

New York, January 6 : After winning a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics last year, ace swimmer Michael Phelps has now entered the largest single sponsorship deal for any Western celebrity in Chinese history.

According to reports, Phelps is getting more than one million dollars to be a spokesman for Mazda in China.

Dynamic Marketing Group''s DMG Entertainment unit has revealed that the swimmer will be endorsing the Mazda 6 car in TV and print ads.

Hamburg - Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and American swimmer Michael Phelps aim to confirm their greatness with world championship titles in 2009 against the backdrop of the global economic crisis.

Fans will also follow football's Confederations Cup in South Africa which serves as a test for the World Cup there in 2010.

The 2016 Olympic host city is elected while Formula One gears up for another dramatic world championship in which Briton Lewis Hamilton has his title to defend.

Washington, December 25 : Ace swimmer Michael Phelps might have been branded "Golden Olympian" after he created history by winning the most gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, but his coach Bob Bowman feels that he may not be as invincible when he competes at the national and world championships in the near future.

"I would keep expectations fairly low. Not that he won''t be able to swim well, but it''s going to be what it is," USA Today quoted Bowman as saying.

Phelps took several months off after the Beijing Games. He spent that time going to appearances and sponsor promotions and vacationing.

Hamburg  - Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps starred on Planet Olympia while Spain were Europe's football stars and Lewis Hamilton prevailed in a galactic Formula One finale.

Jamaica's Bolt rewrote sprint history in Beijing with three earth- shattering world records. The American swimmer Phelps won eight gold medals and became the most successful Olympian ever with a total 14 golds.

Two months earlier, in June, Spain finally shrugged off their image of underachiever when their classy football gave them the Euro 2008 crown.