US Olympian Gwendolyn Berry suspended for second time for anti-doping violation

It is the second doping ban within a 10-year period for Berry, who was a member of the 2016 and 2020 U.S. Olympic teams.

Gwendolyn Berry competes at Hayward Field on June 26, 2021. | Photo Credit: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

American hammer thrower Gwendolyn Berry, a two-time Olympian and Pan American Games gold medallist, has been given a 16-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said on Wednesday.

It is the second doping ban within a 10-year period for Berry, who was a member of the 2016 and 2020 U.S. Olympic teams.

Berry’s violation resulted from her use of a topical medication containing the diuretic and masking agent spironolactone, for which she had a prescription.

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However, Berry failed to obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption for the medication.

Berry’s 16-month ban was backdated to April 28, the date her provisional suspension was imposed, ruling her out of this month’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

The 34-year-old hammer thrower was also in the spotlight at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, where she won the gold medal and raised her fist on the podium as the U.S. national anthem played to bring attention to social issues back home.