LOS ANGELES: Swimmer Jessica Hardy's (pic) trip to the Beijing Olympics could be in jeopardy after testing positive for a banned substance, according to a person familiar with the test results.

Jessica's 'A' sample from the recent US Olympic trials tested positive, the person said on Wednesday. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly.

The Swimming World magazine website first reported the positive doping test.

Mark Schubert, head coach and general manager of the US team, and Dave Salo, Jessica's personal coach at the University of Southern California, did not immediately return phone messages.

USA Swimming spokeswoman Jamie Olson declined to comment from the US team's training camp at Palo Alto, California. The website nbcolympics.com reported Jessica's backup 'B' sample also tested positive.
If so, the 21-year-old swimmer from Long Beach can pursue appeals with both the American Arbitration Association and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. With the Olympics two weeks away, Jessica could appeal directly to CAS, although its ruling would be final and binding.

Typically, a first-time doping offence results in a two-year ban.

Jessica's name was among the 596 athletes officially entered into the Beijing Games on Wednesday by the US Olympic Committee.

Jessica earned spots on her first Olympic team in her best event, the 100-metre breaststroke, and the 50 freestyle and 4x100 freestyle.

"I don't think if you had told me a month ago that I would make it in all three of these events that I would have believed you," she said at the trials. "I'm expecting good things for sure."

In Beijing, Jessica was expected to be a medal threat in the 100 breaststroke, and to play an important part on the freestyle relay, and possibly the medley relay.

If she appealed and lost, Jessica would not be replaced on the US team because the deadline to do so was July 21.

That would leave 41-year-old Dara Torres in the 50 free and Megan Jendrick in the 100 breaststroke as the single American entrants in those events. -- AP