Anchor: South Korean swimmer, Park Tae-hwan, has been suspended for 18 months for an anti-doping violation. The decision by the international swimming federation, FINA, will, however, allow Park the option to compete in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
Our Bae Joo-yon has more.
 
Report: The international swimming federation, FINA, has suspended South Korean swimmer, Park Tae-hwan, for 18 months. 
 
The federation made the ruling hours after a hearing in Lausanne, Switzerland on allegations that Park took a banned substance. 
 
With the decision, Park’s medals for the Incheon Asian Games, in which Park grabbed one silver and five bronze, will be invalidated. Being stripped of those medals, Park's record as the most decorated South Korean athlete in the history of the Asian Games will also be erased. 
 
The head of the Korea Swimming Federation, Lee Ki-hong, told KBS in Lausanne that Park was grilled for roughly four hours at the hearing on whether he intentionally took banned substances. 
 
Results released in January showed Park had tested positive for testosterone just before the Incheon Asian Games. Park subsequently claimed a doctor had administered an injection last July without fully disclosing its contents.
 
[Sound bite: Lee Ki-hong – President, Korea Swimming Federation (Korean)]
“FINA believes that Park knew about the banned substances and that’s why it took disciplinary action.”
“[We told FINA that] Park deserves another chance to compete in next year’s Olympics and urged it to give him the opportunity.”
 
Though the international federation decided to penalize Park, the level of punishment was less than similar cases in the past.
 
The Korea Swimming Federation said their appeals to FINA to recognize Park’s contribution to Asian swimming and the organization’s efforts to explain Park’s position before the opening of the hearing had led to the lower-than-expected level of punishment.
 
With the 18-month suspension, Park has avoided the worst-case scenario, as he will still have the chance to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.