News
Update: USA Swimming Statement on Ongoing Anti-Doping Proceedings
Just yesterday, things could not have looked better for USA Swimming. Coming off an Olympic Trials where USA Swimming put its best foot forward each evening in front of a nationally televised audience, American swimming basked in the glow of a week where one great story of triumph followed another.
One of the best moments was arguably the stunning victory of Trojan Swim Club's Jessica Hardy in the 100m Breast from lane 2, topping what may have been the most loaded field in the history of the event.
Surfacing today are reports from NBCOlympics.com, and others, that both "A" and "B" samples from one of Jessica Hardy's Olympic Trials drug tests have returned positive for the stimulant clenbuterol.
The positive test result is only half the story. If Hardy is found guilty of doping and the typical punishment is handed down, it will likely result in her expulsion from the team and a subsequent vacancy in four events: the 100m breast, 50m free, 400m free relay, and 400m medley relay.
According to USA Swimming's and the USOC's official selection procedure for the Olympics offered online, the official policy on filling vacancies in events the procedure is the following:
If, for any reason, an additional Team position or an additional event position shall become vacant after July 21, 2008, (entry deadline), no additional members shall be added to the Team. If USA Swimming is permitted to fill a vacant event position, such vacant event position shall be filled with the swimmer already on the Team who has recorded the fastest time in such vacant event during the period beginning January 1, 2006 through July 6, 2008, provided, however, that the replacement swimmer must agree, after consulting with the Head Coach and National Team Head Coach and General Manager, to compete in the additional event. If the replacement swimmer does not agree to swim in the additional event, then the replacement swimmer shall not be considered an Available Swimmer for that event. This process shall repeat until the event is filled.
This would mean that Rebecca Soni, the fourth place finisher in the 100m breast in Omaha, could now be tapped to swim the 100m breast, in addition to the 200m breast, which she won in Omaha. By also applying this same procedure, Kara Lynn Joyce would be offered the opportunity to compete in the 50m free by virtue of her 24.59 effort back at the Missouri Grand Prix in February of this year. Originally, not even on the team and named to the squad after Trials when Dara Torres withdrew from the 100m free, Joyce now could find herself right in the middle of the sprint action in Beijing.
As far as relays go, the result would be up in the air, as USA Swimming would likely have many options for selecting potential replacements in those events.
If a sanction is handed down, it is likely that Hardy would also lose her newest American record in the 50m Breaststroke (30.53 - although the previous record of 30.63 is still Hardy's mark), which she set leading off her winning 100m Breast at Olympic Trials.
John Lesko is the Editor of Swimnetwork.com. He can be reached at jlesko@swimnetwork.com.
Scott Goldblatt contributed to this report.
Comments (80)
More Blogs
Related Gallery
Related Video
Related Blogs
