PHELPS WINS SYMPATHY FROM REBAGLIATI

(CNS) Canadian snowboarder who nearly lost his Olympic gold medal in
a marijuana controversy has come to the defence of U.S. Olympic
swimming champion Michael Phelps, who has also found himself in a
pot-related squabble.

Ross Rebagliati said he is not surprised by the controversy that
erupted after a photograph was published that purports to show Phelps
smoking marijuana, but said the public and media need to put the
incident in context.

"I think Michael Phelps is an incredibly talented athlete and it's a
shame the media is choosing to focus and scrutinize one photo taken
months ago at a private college party. The guy has 14 Olympic
medals," Rebagliati said.

The Canadian's gold medal in the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan, the
first awarded in an Olympics for snowboarding, was initially stripped
from him when he tested positive for marijuana. It was later returned
because the drug was not then a banned Olympic substance. Rebagliati
denied smoking marijuana, but said he may have inhaled it as second-hand smoke.

Phelps apologized this week after publication of the photograph on
Sunday, describing his behaviour as "inappropriate." The
International Olympic Committee has said it accepted the apology.

World swimming's governing body, FINA, has also backed Phelps. FINA
said in a statement it has "confidence and admiration for a young
champion that publicly apologized for his act."