CALGARIANS DISAPPOINTED BY PHELPS-FREE EVENT

A Calgary Olympian said she was surprised to learn Michael Phelps
won't be appearing at a scheduled speaking engagement in the city.

"It's too bad he's not coming to Calgary," said Erica Morningstar, 19,
a medal hopeful in the pool for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

"He's one of the world's greatest athletes and I think it would've
been interesting to hear what he has to say."

The Power Within, a Torontobased promoter that organized an
motivational speaking event for March 3 at the Telus Convention
Centre, has yanked the American swimming champion.

"Due to the widely publicized alleged use of marijuana by Michael
Phelps, the decision has been made to present the program without Mr.
Phelps' participation," Power Within said in a released statement.

Calls to the company for comment were not returned, but a call taker
at Power Within confirmed actor Martin Sheen has been added as a
replacement for Phelps and tickets for the $229 event are not refundable.

Phelps has also been removed from the company's website for a March 6
event scheduled for Vancouver with Oprah Winfrey regular Dr. Mehmet
Oz.

For Morningstar, the photos released showing Phelps apparently smoking
marijuana from a bong are evidence of a "stupid decision" but don't
take away from the fact he won a record eight gold medals at the
Beijing Olympics last summer.

"It doesn't tarnish what he accomplished in Beijing," said Morningstar
a Canadian record holder who competed at the 2008 Summer Games.

Phelps has apologized for his behaviour captured in the photos taken
at a party in November. He has subsequently been suspended for three
months by USA Swimming as a reprimand and has lost his endorsement
deal with Kellogg Co.

Young elite athletes such as Morningstar are given media training
intended to make them aware of who's taking photos of them and what
they should and shouldn't post online at Internet sites such as Facebook.

Olympic gold medal hockey player Cassie Campbell says she's still wary
of having her photo taken in public.

"I don't smoke marijuana, but even if I'm out with a friend having a
beer or a glass of wine I have to be careful," said Campbell, now a
television personality and hockey commentator. "If I see someone
coming to take a photo, I make sure the glass isn't around because it
may be the only beer I drink all night, but once the photo gets online
who knows what will start being said about it.

"When we're talking about Michael Phelps, an Olympic athlete should
not be smoking pot. It's not like this is a photo of him with a beer
in his hand or even a joint. He was inhaling from a bong, that's whole
new level of smoking pot."

Campbell said successful elite athletes are role models for kids and
Phelps will have to accept the consequences for his actions.

After an investigation into the incident, the sheriff in the county in
South Carolina where the party took place has said Phelps will not be
charged as a result of any activity depicted in the published photos.