Disgraced Australian Olympian Scott Miller has revealed that his time in prison was instrumental in helping him overcome a severe drug addiction. Miller, a silver medalist in the 100m butterfly at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, was sentenced to a maximum of five-and-a-half years in jail in November 2022 for his involvement in a scheme to smuggle 4 kilograms of methamphetamine valued at $2.2 million.

Miller's plan to transport the drugs from Sydney to Albury via car was thwarted by police, who monitored his activities throughout the operation. He detailed his struggles transitioning to life after competitive swimming, which led him to a path of drug dependence and subsequent criminal activity. "Man, I really struggled," Miller stated in the documentary "Deep End: The Scott Miller Story." "The transition from being a sportsman to normal life was a disaster and man, I went straight to the dark side. I didn't hesitate."

The former Olympian spent his sentence at the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre, which he described as a tough maximum-security prison. He admitted that he did not fear jail upon his arrest in February 2021. "I can remember being in the back of the wagon going to the police station," Miller recounted. "I remember looking out... watching the trees go by. I was just hypnotised by them, and I can remember having a wave of relief run through my body... I was just thinking, here we go. We're going off to prison and this is going to be a long time. But thank God. I didn't fear death. I didn't fear prison. I didn't fear anything. I just wanted out."

Miller's journey into drug use began recreationally in his late twenties and early thirties, escalating into a daily habit. He stated that he began selling drugs to finance his own supply, using cocaine, ecstasy, speed, heroin, and crystal meth. He had previously faced drug-related charges, including one in 2008 for possessing a stolen pill press and supplying ecstasy, and another in 2014 that resulted in a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to possessing meth and entered rehab. The latter followed the death of his ex-wife, model Charlotte Dawson, in February 2014, who took her own life after battling depression.

During his time in prison, Miller was faced with a choice: succumb to drug use or commit to physical training. He chose the latter, describing how he regained his health and kicked his bad habits. He found that the regimented, institutionalized system of prison suited him, drawing parallels to his years training at the Australian Institute of Sport. "I kind of thrived under a routine, going back to a regimented, institutionalised sort of system was right up my alley," he said.

Miller was released on parole in June 2024 after serving three years and four months of his sentence. Since his release, he has returned to swimming, setting a national record for the 50m butterfly in the 50-54 age group in April 2025. He has also begun sharing his story as part of workplace drug and alcohol awareness programs, telling apprentices, "Prison life was never going to be easy, but that sentence didn’t destroy me. It saved me. If one of you avoid the decision you can't undo because of this talk, then it's done its job."

"A lot of people in my life think that prison saved my life," Miller stated. "I think it too. I believe it."