Friday, December 21, 2001

Associated Press

(12-21) 09:36 PST ROME, Italy (AP) --

American volleyball player Prikeba Phipps was suspended Friday by the Italian Volleyball Federation after testing positive for marijuana. Her Bergamo teammate and Italy's captain, Maurizia Cacciatori, also tested positive for banned substances in a second analysis.

Both players were tested after the Oct. 20-21 Supercopa Italiana in Vicenza.

The Italian Olympic Committee said Phipps tested positive for Carboxy-Thc, the active ingredient in marijuana. Cacciatori tested positive for two diuretics she said she took as medications for a longtime health condition.

The Italian Volleyball Federation was to announce a penalty on Dec. 28.