Michael Phelps Could Lose Olympic Medals for Louis Vuitton Ad

Trouble could be in the near future for Olympian Michael Phelps.

Late last week, photos by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz of Phelps taken for fashion house Louis Vuitton surfaced on the internet. Athletes promoting non-Olympic sponsors from July 18 to Aug. 15 violate the International Olympic Committee’s Rule 40.

The rule states "a competitor or a team may lose the benefit of any ranking obtained in relation to other events at the Olympic Games at which he or it was disqualified or excluded; in such case the medals and diplomas won by him or it shall be returned to the IOC," meaning he could be stripped of his London medals.

The campaign was set to officially release Aug. 16 in order to be in compliance with the rule. Both Leibovitz and Phelps’ camp denies leaking the photograph.

It appears to be out of both parties’ hands, so hopefully he’ll get a pass.