The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has decided against excluding gymnast Morgan Hamm from the Beijing Games despite a failed drug test at the USA Gymnastics Championships in May.

Hamm had previously been issued a warning by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and his results from the day of his positive test on May 24 were wiped out after it was divulged that he took a prohibited substance.

But that wasn't enough for the USOC to prevent him from going to his third Olympics, said USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny.

"After a review by both USA Gymnastics and the USOC, there is agreement that the public warning Hamm received did not impact his qualification for the 2008 US Olympic Team," Penny said Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Hamm, who is the twin brother of reigning Olympic all-around gymnastics champ Paul Hamm, tested positive for triamcinolone acetonide.

"After thorough analysis, the men's selection committee determined that USADA's ruling did not affect either of those decisions," Penny added.

This will be the third appearance in the Olympics for Hamm who also placed in a tie for third in the vault at the USA Championships.

"Our review of the process undertaken by USA Gymnastics showed that the approved Olympic selection procedures for men's gymnastics were followed, and we fully support the findings," said Steve Roush, chief of sports performance for the US Olympic Committee.

"We appreciate USA Gymnastics' efforts to respect and consider the interests of all of the athletes potentially impacted by this decision."

Triamcinolone acetonide is used as an anti-inflammatory medication by athletes and is prohibited under the rules of the International Gymnastics Federation and USADA.

Some athletes are permitted to use the drug if they and their doctor seek an exemption prior to the start of competition.

USADA said Hamm had a prescription from a doctor to use the anti-inflammatory medication but failed to get a pre-competition exemption.

Hamm is not the only US athlete headed to Beijing after a failed drug test.

Three members of the USA's track and field team have served suspensions for doping offenses, including triple jumper Kenta Bell.

Bell was slapped with a three-month ban last year by USADA after testing positive for methylpredinisolone at the 2007 US Track and Field Championships.

Joining Bell on the US team is female hurdler Damu Cherry, who served a two-year suspension beginning in 2003 after testing positive for a nandrolone metabolite.

Former 100m world champion Torri Edwards missed the 2004 Summer Games while serving a two-year doping suspension.

(AFP via China Daily July 18, 2008)