"My dad didn’t know how to handle certain situations" - When Michael Phelps confessed giving up alcohol for his kids

Michael Phelps once revealed that his father had drinking issues, and fearing he might do the same things in front of his children, the swimmer gave up alcohol in his home. The 23-time Olympic champion is married to Nicole, and shares four sons with her.

Phelps didn't share a healthy relationship with his father before a couple of DUI arrests in 2014 reunited them. The swimmer's parents had gotten divorced when he was nine, and he drifted apart from his father over the next decade before destiny brought them together.

Phelps, who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction during his depression period, was asked by Allison Kugel whether he was sober following the release of his documentary "The Weight of Gold" in 2020.9

"We don’t drink in our household at all. There are some bad childhood memories of my father [drinking] or seeing other things like that. I'm somebody who is very conscious of not having my boys go through some of the same things that I lived through and had to see. It’s hard to still live with some of those feelings, even 20 years down the road," Michael Phelps replied

The 28-time Olympic medalist further revealed that his father struggled to handle certain situations and it had made him irritable at times.

"When I was a kid my dad didn’t know how to handle certain situations," Michael Phelps added. "I feel like at times I get very irritable in certain situations because of it, and I'll go back to my childhood self and realize, "Oh, this is probably why I'm feeling this way right now.'"

Phelps announced the demise of his father in 2022 and sent a message to him, saying 'I'll always be your son'.

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Michael Phelps opens up on his sons following in his footsteps for a professional career

VIP Guests At Olympic Games Paris 2024: Michael Phelps with wife and son(Image: Getty)

Michael Phelps married Nicole after seven years of dating in 2016, and the couple have since welcomed four sons, Boomer, Beckett, Maverick, and Nico. During the aforementioned interview, the five-time Olympian was asked whether he would like his kids to become professional athletes and he replied:

"I don't think it's fair for them to have to follow in my footsteps. If they are going to be 100 times better than me, than hell yes! I would love to see it. I would love to be there and be a part of it if they love it. but I don't want to force them into something they don't want."

However, the 23-time Olympic champion has made sure to teach his kids to understand and express their emotions, thereby safeguarding them from mental health issues.