Suspension Over, Phelps Prepares for Meet

Michael Phelps’ suspension ended today, and the swimmer is back in the pool preparing for a tourney next week in Charlotte, the AP reports. The Olympian said he was actually unaware of the end of the 3-month ban, imposed after photos emerged of him hitting a bong. “I had no idea,” he said. But he’s happy to be competing again, for the first time since his stunning success at the Beijing Olympics.

“We'll see how it's goes,” Phelps said of the Charlotte meet. “I'm happy to have some structure back in my life.” Phelps said he considered quitting after the photo came out but decided to stick it out despite a tainted image. "It was a stupid mistake that I made. But I'll have what I've accomplished in and out of the pool for the rest of my life. I'm satisfied with what I've done and happy with what I've done." (More Michael Phelps stories.)