Michael Phelps Issues ‘Warning’ To Anyone With A Home Pool
Legendary U.S. Olympian Michael Phelps has issued an important warning to anyone with a home pool.
Phelps, arguably the greatest Olympian of all-time, won 28 medals during his iconic career, including a record-setting 23 gold medals. But while Phelps had a ton of success in the pool, he’s warning anyone with a home pool, that safety needs to be paramount.
While pools can provide for beautiful backyard settings, safety needs to take precedence over everything else. Phelps is warning all Americans that everyone should have a fence around their pool. While that might not be the most flattering landscape, it’s incredibly important.
TOPSHOT – USA’s Michael Phelps kisses his gold medal on the podium after Team USA won the Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 9, 2016. / AFP / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)GABRIEL BOUYS/Getty Images
Phelps, speaking to A Safe Pool, said that having a safe fence around their family pool makes his family feel comfortable. He wants everyone who has a pool in their backyard to have a fence, too.
“We can just be ourselves (in the backyard),” the father of several young boys explained.
“We know that everyone’s going to be safe and everyone’s going to be able to have fun.”
Drowning is one of the leading causes of deaths for young children. But it can be preventable for anyone with a pool in their backyard, if safety is made a priority.
Home pool safety rules
The American Red Cross offers the following home pool safety rules:
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Completely surround your pool with four-sided isolation fencing with a self-closing and self-latching gate that is out of the reach of a child.
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A four-sided isolation fence (separating the pool area from the house and yard) reduces a child’s risk of drowning 83% compared to three-sided property-line fencing.
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For above-ground pools, secure, lock or remove steps, ladders and anything that can be used for access (such as outdoor furniture and toys) whenever the pool is not being actively supervised by an adult.
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Install a secondary barrier, such as:
Door alarms and locks that are out of the reach of a child on all doors and windows with direct access to the pool or spa area Lockable covers
Stay safe if you have a home pool. Michael Phelps is demanding it.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Olympics section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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