United States high jumper Inika McPherson, who competed at Rio 2016, has been banned from competition for 16 months for the second doping violation of her career ©Getty Images

High jumper and Rio 2016 Olympian Inika McPherson has been handed a 16-month suspension by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) after she tested positive for prohibited substance furosemide - the second doping ban of her career. 

The 36-year-old tested positive for the drug which is used to reduce detection of some doping agents, for example anabolic steroids, on June 3 of last year in an out-of-competition urine sample.

The suspension is also enforced by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and sees all of her results and prizes stripped from the period.

McPherson claimed that her violation resulted from using another person's prescription furosemide medication under the belief that it was permitted anti-inflammatory medication.

Independent arbitrator AAA ruled that her reasoning warranted a reduced sanction of 16-months from the default two-period of ineligibility.

Inika McPherson had her latest suspension reduced from two years to 16 months after claiming she mistakenly took the prohibited substance ©Getty Images
Inika McPherson had her latest suspension reduced from two years to 16 months after claiming she mistakenly took the prohibited substance ©Getty Images

"McPherson's 16-month period of ineligibility began on July 22, 2022, the date her provisional suspension was imposed," read a USADA statement.

"In addition, McPherson has been disqualified from competitive results obtained on and subsequent to June 3, 2022, the date her positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes."

It is not the first time that McPherson has been caught up in a doping scandal. 

At the 2014 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, she tested positive for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine.

The Texan represented the United States at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the 2007 Pan American Games which was also in the Brazilian city, the 2011, 2013, 2017, and 2019 World Athletics Championships, and the 2012 and 2014 World Indoor Championships. 

She finished 10th at Rio 2016 with a jump of 1.93 metres before her best World Championships result of ninth place at London 2017 with an effort of 1.92m.