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JnEverett

Sports Minister Caborn defends drug comments
12-13-06 l Reuters UK l Martyn Herman

Sports Minister Richard Caborn defended on Wednesday his call to remove recreational drugs such as cannabis and cocaine from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of banned substances.

Caborn's comments to a parliamentary committee on Tuesday were condemned by WADA chairman Dick Pound and the former head of anti-doping at United Kingdom Sport, Michele Verroken.

Speaking at the Sports Coach of the Year awards in London, Caborn said his comments had been misinterpreted but added that he was standing by his contention that WADA should not be banning athletes caught using so-called social drugs.

"I don't regret what I said," Caborn told Reuters. "We've had this debate for 12 months.

"I believe we need an informed debate to reach conclusion at (the WADA summit) in Madrid next year, it will set the policy framework for the next four years.

"We are talking about an organisation that is only seven years old and we need to refine it. Yes, there are a lot of people that disagree with me but also a lot who agree."

Caborn said he condemned the use of illegal substances and drugs, saying athletes had to be seen as role models.

"I've said many times, what happens on the park on Saturday happens in the playground on Monday, that's exactly what we've been saying to all our athletes," Caborn told reporters.

"You cannot act in a way that is socially and legally unacceptable.

"The question is 'do we have drugs that are not performance enhancing on the list when it is the core business of WADA to root out cheats in sport'?

"That's the business they ought to focus on and not be distracted in any way, they are not social policeman."

Verroken accused Caborn of "total and utter naivety".

"He's missing the point about the way drugs are used," she told The Guardian. "You don't know whether cocaine has been used to enhance performance or not -- it may have been."

 

nornerator

Really, marijuana can enhance athletic performance?

For some people in certain sports it might make them slightly better, but I doubt it would enhance a persons ability to perform, mostly just an enhancement of the enjoyment.

This is absolutely ridiculous when you think about it.

People are thrown in jail everyday for driving under the influence on marijuana, and now this sports organization says that it will enhance performance?

So what is it, it cannot be both, one or the other, make up your damn minds!

No wonder kids are confused about cannabis, a policeman will tell them it impairs their motor functions while at the same time their sports coach is telling them it is a performance enhancing drug.

Buzzby

I see no reason why marijuana should be a banned substance for athletes, but cocaine? It's clearly a performance-enhancing drug, providing extra energy and resistance to fatigue. That was the original use of the coca plant in the countries to which it is indigenous.

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