Swimmer Milorad Cavic Questions Michael Phelps' Comments on Anti-Doping Reform

On Wednesday, Olympic legend Michael Phelps told the U.S. House of Representatives that he suspects he never swam against a clean field in an international competition, per BBC Sport.   

A day later, former United States swimmer and Olympian Milorad Cavic responded to Phelps and called into question the timing of his testimony.

Phelps was speaking at a hearing exploring anti-doping measures and wants the United States to push for more global reforms.

"Throughout my career, I have thought that some athletes were cheating and in some cases those suspicions were confirmed," Phelps noted. "Given all the testing I and others have been through, I have a hard time understanding this."

Doping continues to be a major issue in Olympic competition, with lawyer Richard McLaren releasing a report in Dec. 2016 claiming that Russia ran a state-sponsored doping program for its Olympic athletes from 2011-15. 

"At least two Olympic Games were corrupted and, at the Rio Games this past August, scores of Russian athletes were allowed to compete without credible anti-doping measures," USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said at Tuesday's hearing, per the BBC. "When the moment came, despite mountains of evidence and vocal opposition from anti-doping leaders and clean athletes from around the world, the IOC chose to welcome the Russian Olympic Committee to Rio."

Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, has denied that the doping program was state sponsored.

Regardless, doping has become one of the biggest issues the IOC faces and an unfortunate and consistent storyline in international competition. Several decorated Olympians have been found guilty of doping as well, from sprinter Justin Gatlin to swimmer Yulia Efimova.

No name in Olympic history is bigger than Phelps, who won the most medals (28) and golds (23) in Olympic history. And while Cavic didn't accuse Phelps of doping, he certainly implied that Phelps' recovery rate and the timing of his testimony was curious.

It's also worth noting, however, that Cavic has a history of sparring with Phelps, per Nick Zaccardi of OlympicTalk, even saying in 2008 that it would be good for the sport if Phelps lost. And Phelps never tested positive for any performance-enhancing drugs and said he was tested 13 times before the Rio Olympics.

In other words, while no athlete is above scrutiny, any doubts Cavic may have about Phelps don't appear to be based on known facts.