Very bad news for the US Olympic team.

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/18617.asp?q=Olympian%20Jessica%20Hardy's%20Tests%20Positive%20for%20Drugs

She finished 1st at Olympic trials in the 100 breast, 2nd in 50 free, and 4th in 100 free (sure relay spot).

sucks for the 400 Medley & Free Relays...

Actually it is good news, I am glad she got caught if she is cheating and I am glad it happened now and not at the olympics

x

With Coughlin, Hardy, and Torres now off the 4 x100 in prelims, Marshall is only one spot away from swimming a second event...Had they not added Kara Lynn Joyce after Dara pulled out of the 100 free, Marshall would be on that relay right now

The USA team cannot add any swimmers not already on the roster. July 21 was the last day. So they have to fill any needed spots with swimmers already on the team.

quote:

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The AP also reported in a later update:

"Jessica denies that she has taken any prohibited substances," Jacobs said. "We're looking into explanations for the positive ."

Jacobs told Abrahamson that the first test administered July 1 after the 100 breaststroke came back negative, as did the final one July 6 following Hardy's 50 free race.

The second test, following the 100 free July 4, resulted in the positive test -- the A and B samples -- for clenbuterol. The results of the B sample from July 4 were made available Tuesday night.

"That is a very peculiar pattern," Jacobs told Abrahamson. "It does not make sense."

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http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/18617.asp?q=Olympian%20Jessica%20Hardy%27s%20Tests%20Positive%20for%20Drugs;%20Hardy%20Denies%20Cheating%20Through%20Agent;%20USA%20Swimming%20Releases%20Response


Getting wacky now...

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/olympics-jessica-hardy-2104227-hardy-clenbuterol

the latest...clearly this was not thought about by a lot of people

Bottom line here is you've got to be responsible about what you put in your body...if she's marketing the product, you'd think she'd have to know what's in it...if not, she's a fool

I haven't seen anything yet what Hardy's claim is. If the A and B samples tested positive - the clenbuterol was in her body at a banned level. No doubt about that.

She has to explain how it got in her body - but I still don't see how she can earn her spot back. If it was accidental (??) she still had a performance booster in her body during at least one race at Olympic Trials. Her race was not swum clean no matter how the drug got in her body.

I think she's toast for two years.

I'll add that USA Swimming's (or the USOC) handling of this is pathetic. I cannot believe they didn't know the results of the tests before the July 21 deadline for roster adds.

the blunders cost the other swimmers as well...

http://wcsnblogs.com/swimming/tarakirk/tarakirk/2008/07/25/news/


came across this little bit or irony...

quote:

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It’s a brutal sport
July 2nd, 2008
One one-hundredth. Faster than you can snap your fingers. Faster than you can start and stop a stopwatch (even if you cheat and hit the button against your knee instead of using your thumb). Faster than you can blink your eye. That’s what I missed the Olympic Team by.

But as I looked up at the clock, trying to figure out what exactly had happened, that hundredth might as well have been a year. Because no matter how close I was to second place, the cold reality was that I was third. Third - we might as well call it first loser since first and second go on to the games and third through infinity watch from their couch. There is actually a medal for third place, if you can believe it. I found it nestled amongst my warm-ups after the race. A small consolation for smashed dreams.

The rest of the night was like a dream. Amanda pulled me over to hug me before we even got out of the pool, telling me that it was no time for tears and that I was awesome. Her support and my pride got me off the deck with at least a semblance of dignity.

But all I really wanted to do was get away. Wake up. Rewind my life and try again. I made it down the stairs from the pool trying to make good my escape but to add insult to injury found myself signing off on drug testing papers.

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http://wcsnblogs.com/swimming/

[This message has been edited by bogustrumper (edited 7/25/2008 3:07p).]