SUMMER GAMES SPOTLIGHT : BARCELONA ’92 OLYMPICS / DAY 15 : SHOTPUTTER DASSE TESTS POSITIVE

Shotputter Bonnie Dasse of Costa Mesa became the second U.S. track and field athlete of the Olympics to test positive for an anabolic steroid, the International Olympic Committee announced Saturday.

Dasse, a 33-year-old San Diego State graduate, was selected for random testing after failing to qualify Wednesday among the top 12 for the shotput final.

The test revealed that she had used clenbuterol, the same banned drug that resulted earlier in the suspension of hammer thrower Jud Logan of North Canton, Ohio. Logan had placed fourth, the highest U.S. finish in the event since 1956.

Clenbuterol is an asthma medication that works as both an anabolic agent and a stimulant. It was placed on the banned list earlier this year after IOC laboratory analysts charted its increasing popularity among athletes.

Two British weightlifters were sent home from Barcelona before the Games after it was announced that they had tested positive five weeks ago in London.

“We are saddened any time there is a positive drug test for any American athletes,” said Harvey Schiller, executive director of the U.S. Olympic Committee. “The USOC is committed to a policy of drug-free sports, and we hope this unfortunate occasion will send a message to other athletes that the use of performance-enhancing drugs will not be tolerated.”

Dasse was en route to the United States and could not be reached for comment.

* This a daily roundup of Olympic-related items from reporters in Barcelona from the Los Angeles Times, Newsday and Baltimore Sun, all Times-Mirror newspapers.