In a stunning development at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female swimmer in history, publicly criticized World Aquatics organizers for their handling of a pre-meet training camp in Phuket, Thailand, which led to a devastating outbreak of acute gastroenteritis that affected 85% of the U.S. swim team. The illness, reported by ESPN and The Guardian, caused significant weight loss—approximately 5% of body weight for many athletes—and forced at least eight withdrawals, severely hampering Team USA’s performance. The controversy escalated when swimming legend Michael Phelps joined Ledecky in condemning the organizers, igniting a firestorm of debate about athlete safety and preparation protocols. The shocking details, revealed through athlete statements and social media, have sent ripples through the swimming community as of August 20, 2025.
The outbreak, traced to the training camp, hit the U.S. team hard from the outset of the championships, held from July 27 to August 3 at the Singapore Sports Hub. Swimmers like Torri Huske, Claire Weinstein, and Luca Mijatovic were among those visibly affected, with Huske withdrawing from her signature 100m butterfly and Weinstein pulling out of the 400m freestyle. Mijatovic, competing despite illness, swam nearly 15 seconds slower than his entry time in the 400m freestyle, failing to advance. The men’s team struggled particularly, with no American advancing to the 400m freestyle final and Jack Aikins finishing last in his 100m backstroke heat, nearly two seconds behind the field. Despite the setbacks, Ledecky remained a beacon of resilience, posting the fastest qualifying time in the 400m freestyle (4:01.04) and securing gold in the 1500m (15:26.44) and 800m freestyle (8:05.62), bringing her career world championship medal count to 30, second only to Phelps’ 33.
Ledecky’s criticism, voiced in a post-race interview with NBC Sports, focused on the inadequate health protocols at the Phuket camp. “We put our trust in the organizers to keep us safe, and they failed us,” she said. “Losing 5% of your body weight in a week is not preparation—it’s a health crisis. We need answers.” Her comments echoed concerns from USA Swimming officials, who confirmed the outbreak’s origin but declined to specify the number of affected athletes. Social media posts from swimmers and coaches revealed the extent of the crisis, with reports of inadequate food safety measures and poor sanitation at the training facility. The fallout led to at least eight withdrawals, including high-profile names, and compromised performances across relays and individual events, with the U.S. securing only eight gold medals, their lowest since 1988.
Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian, amplified Ledecky’s concerns in a statement to USA TODAY, calling the situation “unacceptable” and demanding accountability from World Aquatics. “These athletes train their entire lives for these moments, and to have their health jeopardized by poor planning is a disgrace,” Phelps said. His intervention, coupled with Ledecky’s outspokenness, has put pressure on organizers to investigate the Phuket camp’s conditions. Fans and analysts on platforms like X have speculated about potential lawsuits, with some calling for an overhaul of World Aquatics’ leadership. The organization has yet to respond officially, but sources indicate an internal review is underway.
Despite the adversity, bright spots emerged. Gretchen Walsh, also affected by the illness, battled back to win gold in the 100m and 50m butterfly, while the U.S. set a world record in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay. Ledecky’s victories, including a championship-record 800m freestyle, denied Canada’s Summer McIntosh a chance to match Phelps’ record of five individual golds at a single championship. McIntosh, who bested Ledecky in the 400m freestyle, praised her rival’s grit, saying, “Katie’s a warrior. To swim through that and still win is unreal.”
As the swimming world looks to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where Ledecky plans to compete and Phelps will lead as head coach, the Singapore debacle serves as a wake-up call. The U.S. team’s resilience, led by Ledecky’s dominance and Walsh’s breakthroughs, kept them atop the medal table, but the health crisis has sparked a broader conversation about athlete welfare. With Phelps and Ledecky united in their call for change, the pressure is on World Aquatics to ensure such a failure is never repeated.
