Former Olympic swimming champion Park banned 18 months
The 25-year-old Park won the 400-meter freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - Former Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan of South Korea has been banned 18 months for doping.
Swimming governing body FINA says Park tested positive for testosterone in an out-of-competition drug test in September.
The ban will begin retroactively the day of the positive test and expire March 2, 2016 putting Park s participation in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in doubt.
FINA adds that Park s results from Sept. 3 onward will be annulled and prize money forfeited, meaning he will have to return the three bronze medals he won at last year s Asian Games.
The 25-year-old Park won the 400-meter freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also took silver in the 200 free in Beijing and silvers in both events at the 2012 London Games.
