MAYBE NEXT TIME

Sometimes it takes a bit of distance to see things clearly.

It appears that's the case with Eric Lamaze, the 32-year-old Canadian
show jumper who the Canadian Olympic Association declined to bring back
into the fold after he tested positive for drugs - again.

His response? ... an apology for the controversy he has caused, and a
footnote that he hopes to still compete at other events, including the
2004 Summer Games.

Compare that with another Canadian who got caught. Who can ever forget
the Ben Johnson fiasco that carried on for years, and all the denials
the sprinter first gave?

The COA certainly did the right thing by barring Lamaze, but let's not
forget that there is a difference between his breach of the rules and
that of, for example, Johnson.

When Lamaze turned to cocaine, it was not for performance enhancement,
but to drown his sorrows of the lifetime ban imposed by the COA - a ban
given after the COA had incorrectly concluded Lamaze had used another
banned substance.

As it turns out, it was in herbal tea that the manufacturers did not
label correctly and the COA correctly lifted that ban after discovering
its mistake.

The COA flip-flops, combined with the fact that Lamaze was booted from
the 1996 Canadian team for cocaine use, made the entire affair almost
laughable. Still, the question remains, what does one do with the rider
now?

The COA error doesn't justify drug use and it's certainly not a God-
given right for any athlete to compete at the Olympics. It's a reward
for hard work, talent and integrity.

But his foible shouldn't keep Lamaze from another crack at things in
four years, or interim competitions. One's past doesn't always
disqualify one from a worthwhile future, depending on, for one,
penance.

While Lamaze has erred more than once, he's never denied it and therein
lies the difference between him and some others in similar positions.
Four years will give him time to re-establish that he can compete on
the straight-and-narrow.

But for now, we agree with the decision to keep him from wearing the
Canadian colours in Sydney.