競争相手s' delight as banned Phelps to return
Ryan Lochte and Chad le Clos on Saturday both welcomed the news that banned Olympic legend Michael Phelps will return to the pool at the French 脚 of the FINA World Cup series next August.
The 22-time Olympic medallist was banned for six months by USA Swimming in October after 存在 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d with 運動ing under the 影響（力） of alcohol (DUI), 過度の 速度(を上げる） and crossing the centre line while 運動ing inside a tunnel.
But French swimming 連合 大統領，／社長 Francis Luyce 確認するd on Saturday that 18-time Olympic gold medallist Phelps will compete in the short-course 会合，会う at Chartres-Paris on August 15-16.
Olympic legend Michael Phelps will return to the pool at the French 脚 of the FINA World Cup series next August ?Robyn Beck (AFP/とじ込み／提出する)
Luyce said he ha d been 知らせるd of Phelps' 参加 by Dave Neilburger, American 副／悪徳行為-大統領，／社長 of world swimming 団体／死体 FINA, during the world short-course swimming 選手権s 現在／一般に 進行中で in Doha.
Lochte and fellow American Phelps are long-time friends and 競争相手s and the 11-time Olympic medallist told AFP: "There was no 疑問 in my mind (he would be 支援する again). I knew for a fact he was going to come 支援する.
"He 行方不明になるs the sport, he 行方不明になるs the excitement of 存在 on the 封鎖するs and racing the best people on the 封鎖するs.
"Then he got 一時停止するd but I know he is in the water 権利 now training and when he comes 支援する he is going to be coming 支援する!"
After the 禁止（する）, Phelps, 29, also agreed he would 身を引く from the 部隊d 明言する／公表するs team for the World 選手権s (50m) in Kazan, Russia in August 2015.
-- Stepping 石／投石する to Rio --
Lochte 追加するd: "It doesn't 事柄 if it's short course or long course - 特に when you are at a 確かな point of swimming - all that really 事柄s at the end of the day is racing.
"There's no 疑問 about it, Michael does it the best of anyone in this entire world. He's the racer.
"So him going to the World Cup in フラン in August is good. It is just a stepping 石／投石する for him and what he is going to 遂行する out in Rio (Olympics)."
The Baltimore 競技者 発表するd his 退職 after the 2012 London Olympics ? although team-mate and 競争相手 Lochte was always very 声の about a possible 復帰.
So it transpired with Phelps returning to the pool to （人命などを）奪う，主張する three gold メダルs at the Pan 太平洋の 選手権s in August in Australia to 調書をとる／予約する his place on the team for Kazan.
Le Clos, 一方／合間, seared himself on the world's consciousness when his last-gasp victory over his idol in what was then Phelps' final 200m バタフライ 誘発するd 涙／ほころびs from the South African and unbridled joy from his father Bert.
The 22-year-old has gone on to 支配する the バタフライ but he knows he 直面するs another 戦う／戦い when Phelps returns for the second time.
"He is a 広大な／多数の／重要な 支持する／優勝者. He wouldn’t have made it public about coming 支援する if he wasn’t going out to 勝利，勝つ gold メダルs," Le Clos told AFP.
"He is going to try to come 支援する at the 最高の，を越す of his game."
The pair have met in the shorter pool, Le Clos 明らかにする／漏らすing: "In 2011 we did a 200 飛行機で行く short-course together. I got second and he got third and the Japanese guy won.
"It was such an anti-最高潮 to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 Michael Phelps and come second so I don't count that as a 勝利，勝つ."
(L-R) Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps 提起する／ポーズをとる together after finishing the Men's 100m バタフライ final during the 円形競技場 Grand Prix on April 24, 2014 in Mesa, Arizona ?Christian Petersen (Getty/AFP/とじ込み／提出する)
