OLYMPIC SWIMMING STAR SUSPENDED AFTER POSITIVE MARIJUANA TEST

PHOENIX (AP) Olympic gold medalist Gary Hall Jr. says he will fight the
international swimming federation's decision to suspend him from
competition because of a positive marijuana test.

FINA announced its suspension in its newsletter, even though Hall has yet
to take the second drug test or appear at a hearing that will determine the
length of the penalty or whether it will be revoked.

"I am confident that once I am afforded the opportunity to present my
position, I will be able to prove I did not violate any FINA rule and the
provisional suspension will be removed," Hall said Wednesday in a statement
released by his agent.

Hall, who withdrew from this month's Goodwill Games, noted in his statement
that marijuana is a "non-performance enhancing substance."

Gunnar Werner, FINA's honorary secretary, told USA Today that Hall also
tested positive for marijuana during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. "We do not
temporarily suspend on the first offense for marijuana," Werner said.

FINA's rules call for a maximum three-month suspension for a first
marijuana offense, while a second offense carries a suspension of three
months to two years.

USA Today said Hall is expected to challenge FINA's stance that this is his
second offense. FINA added marijuana to its banned list just before the
Atlanta Games, but the rule did not take effect until after the competition.

Hall, 23, said the positive test was conducted May 15 at the U.S.
West-Nortel Swimfest in Phoenix, an event that wasn't sanctioned by FINA.
He plans to undergo a second test next week at the International Olympic
Committee's laboratory in Montreal.

Four Chinese swimmers were provisionally suspended for testing positive for
masking agents during last year's world championships, but the suspension
was lifted after they argued in a hearing that they had used only
traditional Chinese herbs that had caused the positive test results.

Hall was in Hawaii and unavailable for comment, but spokesman Phil Whitten
said the swimmer was "very, very upset," especially because of the
ramifications the suspension could have.

If Hall still is on suspension in August, and if the U.S. championships
that month are considered an international meet by FINA, he would be banned
from that competition.

The August championships will determine most of the U.S. roster for 1999
international competition. However, rules could allow Hall to be added to
the U.S. contingent later.

Hall won gold medals as part of the U.S. 400-meter freestyle and 400 medley
relay teams in the Atlanta Games. He also won silver medals, finishing
second to Russia's Alexander Popov in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

Whitten said only one swimmer, Scott Miller of Australia, has been
suspended for marijuana use. Miller, silver medalist in the 100 butterfly
at Atlanta, was suspended for two months early this year.

Charlie Snyder, spokesman for U.S. Swimming, said the federation would have
no comment because the second test and hearing have yet to be conducted.