Aug 2 (Reuters) - American hammer thrower Gwendolyn Berry, a two-time Olympian and a Pan Am 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. 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.

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Persons: Gwendolyn Berry, Berry, Steve Keating, Clare Fallon Organizations: Pan Am Games, United, United States Anti, Doping Agency, Olympic, Pan Am, U.S ., Thomson Locations: American, United States, Budapest, Lima, Toronto