Kylie Palmer has withdrawn from the Australian swimming team for the upcoming FINA World Championships after being provisionally suspended for an alleged doping offence.

Palmer tested positive to a minute trace of a prohibited substance at the World Championships in Barcelona nearly two years ago, and was notified of the breach in April this year, Swimming Australia said in a statement on Thursday.

The 25-year-old has maintained she has no idea how the unnamed substance came into her system and categorically denies knowingly taking any prohibited substance in Barcelona in July 2013, or at any time in her career.

Swimming Australia said Palmer would not compete in her next event in Townsville, but reiterated she would receive the ongoing support of the governing body.

Kylie Palmer's medal record Olympics 2008: Gold in 4x200m freestyle

2008: Gold in 4x200m freestyle 2012: Silver in 4x200m freestyle Commonwealth Games 2010: Gold in 200m freestyle

2010: Gold in 200m freestyle 2010: Gold in 4x200m freestyle

2010: Gold in 4x200m freestyle 2010: Silver in 400m freestyle World Championships (SC) 2008: Gold in 200m freestyle

2008: Gold in 200m freestyle 2008: Gold in 400m freestyle

2008: Gold in 400m freestyle 2008: Silver in 800m freestyle

2008: Silver in 800m freestyle 2008: Bronze in 4x200m freestyle

2008: Bronze in 4x200m freestyle 2010: Silver in 4x200m freestyle

2010: Silver in 4x200m freestyle 2010: Silver in 400m freestyle

2010: Silver in 400m freestyle 2010: Bronze in 200m freestyle

2010: Bronze in 200m freestyle 2014: Bronze in 4x200m freestyle World Championships (LC) 2011: Silver in 200m freestyle

2011: Silver in 200m freestyle 2011: Silver in 4x200m freestyle

2011: Silver in 4x200m freestyle 2013: Silver in 4x200m freestyle

"Neither Swimming Australia nor Kylie received notice of this matter before April 2015. Upon receipt of that notice, Swimming Australia immediately advised ASADA," it said in a statement.

"This week, Kylie has advised Swimming Australia that she has voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension, under FINA's Doping Code. The provisional suspension shall operate until the final determination of the matter by the FINA Doping Tribunal.

"By operation of the provisional suspension, Kylie shall not compete at this week's event in Townsville. Further, Kylie has informed Swimming Australia that she has withdrawn from the Australian team, selected for the upcoming FINA World Championships in Kazan.

"Kylie is entitled to a fair and due process under FINA's Doping Code. This includes ensuring that proper processes are applied to every person affected by this matter.

"Swimming Australia has a duty of care to ensure that we provide Kylie and her family with ongoing support. The health and welfare of Kylie and her teammates is important to Swimming Australia and we will ensure they have the necessary personal and professional support."

Nearly two years is an unusually long time between an alleged doping breach and FINA's move to notify the athlete it concerns.

Loading...

Disgraced South Korean swim star Park Tae-hwan was informed six months after he tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid at an out-of-competition control before the Asian Games on September 3 last year.

Palmer first found the spotlight when she finished fifth in the 400m freestyle at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

She followed that with a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 4x200m freestyle relay with Stephanie Rice, Bronte Barratt and Linda MacKenzie and backed that up with a silver in the same event at London 2012.

Sam Flint was the last Australian swimmer to be banned for doping, copping a two-year sanction in March 2014 after testing positive to the substance methylhexaneamine.



AAP/ABC