THANKS, BUT NO THANKS

Rebagliati Declines New Drug-Free Conditions For Travel To Winter Olympics

WHISTLER - Ross Rebagliati can go to Salt Lake City to see the Winter
Olympics next week if he shows up at the U.S. border with a note from his
doctor saying he is drug-free.

"That's good news," said Rebagliati, who was told last week that he could
not travel to the U.S. because he has admitted in the past to smoking
marijuana.

But, said the gold-medal-winning snowboarder, he has already decided not to
go to Salt Lake because he is concerned about the negative publicity he
will generate.

"The attention that I'm getting now is just going to be a distraction to
the Canadian Olympic team," he said.

"At this point in time, they need to focus and I don't want to bring any
attention that is not going to be positive and they can draw from.

"I'll be happy to stay here and watch it on CBC and not put myself in the
spotlight."

Some might interpret Rebagliati not taking the test as an admission of drug
use.

But, he said: "They can interpret it any way they want, but my focus is our
team in Salt Lake."

Rebagliati won the first gold medal in snowboarding in Nagano in 1998, then
almost lost it after a routine drug test found traces of cannabis in his
system.

He said the test was positive because it detected second-hand smoke from a
party.

During the investigation Rebagliati admitted he had smoked marijuana and
that admission has red-flagged him to U.S. Customs.

Although he has travelled to the U.S. many times since 1998, last week was
the first time he was refused entry.

Rebagliati said he was always been treated fairly at the border and
understands the need for heightened security.

According to U.S. Immigration spokesman Garrison Courtney, it's the
increase in security leading up to the Olympics that lies at the root of
Rebagliati's ban.

"We are getting ready for the Olympics and that means more scrutiny," said
Courtney.

Fellow boarder Sherry Newstead is on her way to the Salt Lake Olympics to
watch.

"I think it is ridiculous to do this to Ross," she said. "I just can't
believe it. He of anybody should be there....He hasn't been convicted of
anything."

Kevin Sansalone, a member of the Whistler Blackcomb snowboard Freeride
team, agrees.

"We need to have him down there," said Sansalone.

"He won the first-ever gold medal in snowboarding, and it is ours, and he
is our guy.

"It is really important for him to be down there to support our athletes."