Hardy launching appeal to keep Beijing berth

Hardy launching appeal to keep Beijing berth

JESSICA Hardy is set to appeal against her positive test for the banned substance clenbuterol, a California newspaper has reported.

Hardy will appeal to a US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) arbitration panel, and she is confident of receiving a ruling fast enough for her to compete at the Olympics, if she is cleared, the United States breaststroke and freestyle swimmer's lawyer, Howard Jacobs, was quoted as saying by the Orange County Register.

"She's still hoping to compete in Beijing," Jacobs said.

"She's doing as well as can be expected. This is extremely stressful.''

Hardy was told earlier this week that she failed a urine test after finishing fourth in the 100m freestyle final having previously passed doping tests after winning the 100m breastsroke final and finishing second in the 50m freestyle final.
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Hardy's coach, Dave Salo, thinks Hardy's positive test for the stimulant clenbuterol at the US Olympic swimming trials was the result of an "inadvertent consumption of a banned substance".

Clenbuterol is a drug prescribed to sufferers of breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. People with chronic breathing disorders such as asthma take the drug as a bronchodilator to make breathing easier.

The drug is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because It causes an increase in aerobic capacity and an increase in blood pressure and oxygen transportation.