Van Dyken accused of DOPING?

Olympic swimmer and Colorado native fervently denies accusations made earlier this week by her former teammate, Gary Hall Jr., in which he implies that Van Dyken used performance-enhancing drugs.

Could this be true?!?! Van Dyken, who has never tested positive for any illegal substance, is suddenly forced to defend her good name.

She wrote in an email to the Associated Press, “It is ridiculous that Gary would say something like that.” She also said that Hall’s words are “… slanderous, outrageous, and unfounded!!!

Hall’s harsh words for Denver’s swim champ came at a recent news conference where he expressed his anger for athletes who use drugs.

He said, "She's [Van Dyken] inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, and Marion Jones goes to jail. The only difference was that Marion Jones admitted it, but they were both on the same list.

Could it be that Hall is just a teensy bit jealous that his six gold medals didn’t get him a spot in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame while teammate Van Dyken is basking in the glory? DCE has to side with the hometown girl on this one – come on, don’t be a green-headed monster. Prove it before you speak it, Gary!

Read more about this story in the Denver Post. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of this one...