Gymnast Hamm could miss Games after failing test

LONDON (Reuters) - American gymnast Morgan Hamm's participation in next month's Beijing Olympics hangs in the balance after he failed a drugs test at a selection event in May, USA gymnastics said on Friday.

Hamm, the twin brother of 2004 all-round Olympic champion Paul Hamm, returned a positive test after taking a prescribed anti-inflammatory medication.

The 25-year-old, who won a silver medal in the team competition in the Athens Games, has been issued a warning by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

"USA Gymnastics will review this situation to determine how this may impact his qualification to the 2008 U.S. Olympic team," USA Gymnastics said in a statement.

USADA said: "The doping offence involved the use of a prescribed anti-inflammatory medication under the care of a physician but without first seeking a therapeutic use exemption as required by the applicable rules.

"Hamm tested positive for triamcinolone acetonide, a glucocorticosteroid, on May 24, 2008."

Hamm was picked for the U.S. Olympic team at last month's selection trials. The results from the competition in May was also part of the selection process.

(Writing by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Martin Petty)