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By PAUL NEWBERRY

AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Michael Phelps' three-month suspension from competition is now over and he marked the occasion like any other day: He woke up late and headed to the pool.

Speaking exclusively with The Associated Press, Phelps said he didn't even realize his suspension ended Tuesday. Coach Bob Bowman couldn't resist making a joke, saying he planned to enter his star swimmer in a meet later that night.

Actually, Phelps will return to competition next week at a meet in Charlotte, N.C. It will be his first time swimming competitively since winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.

Phelps was suspended from competition by USA Swimming in February after a picture surfaced in a London tabloid showing him inhaling from a marijuana pipe in South Carolina.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

APNP 05-05-09 1406EDT