Hardy's ban reduced to 12 months

LOS ANGELES: American swimmer Jessica Hardy was handed a "reduced" one-year suspension after testing positive for a banned substance at last year's US Olympic trials, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said on Monday.

A former world record holder in the 100 meter breaststroke, Hardy had qualified for the 2008 Olympic team but withdrew her nomination for the Beijing Games after testing positive for the anabolic agent clenbuterol in Omaha last July.

Hardy later blamed a tainted supplement for her failed test, which under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules usually carries a two-year suspension.