Will Michael Phelps Be the Next Athlete to See His Sponsorships Terminated?

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Early Tuesday morning, Michael Phelps was arrested for driving while under the influence after police pulled him over for going 84 mph in a 45 mph zone. Phelps was unable to perform satisfactory field sobriety tests, and appeared to be visibly under the influence according to police. Recently we've seen a large number of athlete's lose their contracts and endorsements with major companies after run ins with the law. Phelps is currently trying to make a comeback to swimming for the 2016 Olympics, but will he be the next athlete to see his endorsement contracts terminated?

At 29, Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history, with 22 medals from the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics. He retired after the London Games, but has still retained sponsorships with major companies including Omega, Visa, and Subway. Earlier this year, Phelps and Speedo (the biggest swimwear brand in the world) split ways after nearly 15 years of business together. His current sponsors and Team USA swimming have yet to make a statement regarding the status of Phelps contracts, but considering the current state of sports, it's highly likely we could see some repercussions from his latest legal slip up.

This isn't Phelps first run in with the legal system, as he was arrested back in 2004 for drunken driving and was sentenced to 18 months probation. A few years later in 2009, Phelps was seen smoking a bong at a party and dealt with the controversy from that. Do you think this will impair Phelps chances of making it back Olympic greatness, and should his sponsors drop him due to this latest infraction? Let us know your thoughts, and stay tuned for the latest info surrounding Phelps going forward.

[USAToday]

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