French sports outlet L’equipe is reporting that FINA has settled on Chartres, France for the new French-based stop of the 2015 FINA World Cup Series, and mores significantly that this Chartres meet will be the return to competition of the most successful swimmer of all time: Michael Phelps.
Phelps is currently serving a 6-month suspension following a DUI arrest in September, a sanction that also included his withdrawal from the 2015 World Championship team. While Phelps is eligible to return to competition well before that stop of the World Cup Series, it is expected to be one of the first major international meets after the World Championships.
Before his 2012 first retirement, Phelps was never a frequent visitor to the FINA World Cup Series, though he did make the stops in Berlin and Moscow in 2011, and a few others scattered earlier in his career (2006, 2002).
He has always been a frequent visitor to France, however, competing for many years in the Paris Open.
According to L’Equipe, the move was announced by American vice-president of FINA Dale Neuberger to French Federation president Francis Luyce.
Phelps has been spotted at the U.S. Winter National Championships in Greensboro this week, though he is not competing.
I love this. Love to see Michael continues to kick ass in the 100 fly race. I’m definitely looking forward to it. Woo hoo! 🙂
Everybody knows that it’s a great joy to watch Phelps swims. I’ll donate $$$$ to USA Swimming Foundation if Phelps wins his first short course race in Chartres.
God bless him.
The PR Machine in overdrive . In the Baltimore Sun the whole episode of arrest & jubilant rehab return attracted 30 comments . These consisted of 1 Uber Phelps fan vs 5 distinctly unimpressed Baltimoreans.
Let us see what The Judge has to say .
Exactly
This would make the world cup more exciting!!! Also there is the potential clash with the reigning World Cup champion which will definitely make the headlines…
This is huge news in the sense that it confirms he will continue his comeback and is also huge news for that particular meet. Phelps is without question the biggest draw in swimming around the world and sounds like he is planning out his schedule which is good to know.
This event will be sold out if swims there. It will be interesting to see MP swim short course
And the main draw definitely would be his inevitable rematch with le Clos, which will definitely happen as he is the reigning WC champ and would definitely defend his crown.. That itself would draw a lot of interest..
It will be a great match-up. Contrary to most peoples opinion, by next August, Phelps will be the underdog. It will be a great story, but not a great race. Chad will win a little too easily. After all it is SCM, MP will not have raced competitively for a year, and he will be a year older.
Good Grief….”huge” new would be “Michael Phelps heading to school, setting a new course for his future.” I would applaud that and be happy for him. Swimming in France is “huge news”???Swimming needs to set its goals higher and realize the sport is bigger than Mr Phelps.
We already have untold millions of college students, almost all of whom will never be notably good at anything in their lives. Has Phelps given any sign of talent in any activity outside of a pool? I’m interested to see what more he can achieve with his otherworldly swimming ability.
It will be big news. The competition will be fierce. The king will be ready for him and he will need to be on his game. If he isn’t, the comeback part 2 will flop, and Rio will look like a long shot. Time to get back into the pool and do some hard yards MP. Good luck, we wish you the best.
😎 😎 😎 😎 😎
Totally unexpected news I gave you this morning.
It’s huge for that new French world cup stage in Chartres.
The tickets will sell like hot cakes.
MP isn’t a short course swimmer but it will be great to see him swim in France.
Last time, and I thought it would be the last one, it was in Vichy at the French Open in 2010.
The meet is scheduled on August 15 and 16, one week after the Kazan world championships so Michael will need to be well rested to shine because he’ll swim against fully tapered swimmers. It will not be easy for him. Anyway, good results or not,… Read more »