IOC DIVIDED OVER MARIJUANA ISSUE

NAGANO, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Olympic leaders said on Wednesday they were
determined to push for ``social'' drugs like marijuana to be banned despite
fears that the initiative might hamper the progress of an important
international campaign against doping.

Leading International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Kevan Gosper said he
supported a proposal by medical chief Prince Alexandre de Merode to put the
drugs on the IOC's list of banned substances even though they are not
performance-enhancing.

Some IOC officials believe the move threatens to hamper key talks this year
between the IOC and sports federations about a new medical code aimed at
introducing common bans for cheats. Some international federations are
against marijuana bans.

But IOC executive board member Gosper said: ``If we backed off because of
opposition from international federations it would be a sign of weakness.
Our job is to set a standard.''

Another IOC official, unwilling to be identified, countered: ``It could
cause complications in harmonising the rules.

``The number one goal of the new medical code should be to stop doping. We
are against marijuana but it should not be on the list of prohibited
substances as a doping agent.''

De Merode made the proposal after the muddled Ross Rebagliati affair
involving marijuana at the Nagano Olympics.

The Canadian snowboarder was stripped of his gold medal by the IOC after a
positive test but won an appeal after skiing officials said they had not
asked the IOC to test for marijuana.

The IOC presently tests for social drugs only if a federation demands it.
De Merode's attempts to toughen the rules have received a mixed reception,
however.

``From informal discussions within the IOC I see a tendency for marijuana
and other drugs to be banned regardless of the performance-enhancing
question,'' Germany's IOC executive board member Thomas Bach said. ``I
sense support for this.''

But the other IOC official said: ``This is a health problem. It has nothing
to do with doping.''

^REUTERS@