SHOW JUMPER'S BAN FOR DRUG USE REVERSED

Lamaze's trip to Games still up in the air

Equestrian Eric Lamaze has won his fight for reinstatement, but his bid to
represent Canada at the Sydney Olympics is still clouded in uncertainty.

"At the moment, I am so grateful to Professor (Ed) Ratushny - this is a
great day, a great day for me," a jubilant Lamaze said yesterday after
learning that his lifetime ban from the sport for cocaine use had been
lifted by the adjudicator, Ratushny.

"One moment your life has been completely destroyed and the next you have a
new lease on life. I promise I will make the best of it," Lamaze added while
clutching the hand of his American fiancee Megan Johnstone, who is also an
internationally ranked rider.

It is still not clear whether Lamaze - one of Canada's top medal hopes for
Sydney - will also be reinstated to the Olympic show jumping squad by the
Canadian Olympic Association, which makes the final decision on all team
members.

The association said its 16-member executive committee will hold a
conference call tomorrow with Lamaze and then confer to determine his
competition future at the Games.

Lamaze had been banned for life from all sanctioned equestrian competitions
and turfed off Canada's Olympic show jumping team less than two weeks ago
after testing positive for cocaine metabolites.

Ratushny accepted Lamaze's explanation that the athlete took cocaine when he
was told he was banned for life after testing positive for a banned
substance he mistakenly ingested through a dietary supplement.

The herbal remedy contained ephedrine, a stimulant, but Lamaze apparently
did not know that because of a labelling error.

He fell into depression and contemplated suicide before the first ban was
quietly lifted Aug. 24.

Lamaze admits he took the cocaine that sparked the second ban, but argued
there were "catastrophic circumstances" that lead to the drug use. He was
also dropped from the Olympic team in 1996 because he had used cocaine.

"I agree it's wrong to take drugs. Drugs are a terrible thing, they nearly
destroyed my life in 1996," Lamaze said. "I can't make any excuses for
myself. I agree with the athletes - it's terrible. I'm not proud of it.

"But on Friday, Aug. 18, I completely lost control of myself and for that I
am ashamed. I truly am sorry to all Canadians for this happening," he added.

Despite his admission, Lamaze said he sees no reason why he should have to
sit out the Olympics now that he has been cleared of breaking the rules.

"This took its toll on me, there's no question about that, but my dreams are
about going to the Olympics," he said.

The 32-year-old rider said he has an open flight booked and could leave for
Sydney as early as tonight if the Olympic association clears him to compete.

The qualifying round for the Olympic individual jumping competition, which
would be Lamaze's first event, begins Sunday. Millcreek Raphael, his $2
million horse, is already in Sydney.

Terence Millar, chef d'equipe for the Canadian Olympic show jumping team,
told The Star's Dave Perkins in Sydney he has "mixed emotions" about the
news of Lamaze's reinstatement.

"There are a lot of issues involved here," Millar said. "No one knows the
reasons behind the decision and until you know that, you can't really form
an opinion."

Millar said equestrian team members Ian Millar, Jay Hayes, John Pearce and
alternate Jonathan Asselin are trying to focus on the games, not Lamaze's
trials.

"Everyone has agreed that we'll put our focus on representing our country
and the events here," Millar added. "We're trying to put aside these other
things."

Millar called comments by Lamaze's lawyer, Tim Danson, that Canada's team
was "nothing" without Lamaze "an extraordinary statement. I would never
agree with that. Our team doesn't revolve around one man."

In handing down his decision yesterday, Ratushny said the ruling was based
on a "strict application" of criteria governing Lamaze's appeal.

Ratushny, a University of Ottawa law professor, pointed out that none of the
facts, including expert medical opinions, were disputed by any of the
parties at the hearing.

The closed-door hearing was held Saturday in Ottawa with lawyers from the
federal Department of Justice, Sports Canada, Heritage Canada, the Canadian
Centre for Ethics in Sport, Canadian Olympic Association and Canadian
Equestrian Federation.

The organizations either opposed the reinstatement, or requested it be
delayed.

Lamaze's four-year ban for cocaine use in 1996 was tossed out in 1997 by
Ratushny for being "too excessive."

In that ruling, Ratushny said Lamaze's cocaine use was not done to cheat or
gain a competitive edge, but for recreational purposes only.

Ratushny drew a clear distinction between drugs used for such purposes and
those used to enhance athletic performance, and he said that in Lamaze's
case, cocaine is not a performance-enhancing drug.

Lamaze has steadfastly maintained he was railroaded by an insensitive
bureaucracy at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport after he
inadvertently took a banned substance contained in a diet supplement.

He has pleaded with Canadians to not rush to judgment, but to wait until
they have heard his whole story before deciding whether he should represent
Canada at the Olympics.

Victor Lachance, executive director of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in
Sport, which opposed Lamaze's reinstatement at the Saturday hearing, said he
is surprised at the ruling.

"We respect the decision of the arbitrator, but we are concerned it will
have serious implications for the entire doping control program," Lachance
said.

Lachance said his organization will wait until Ratushny releases his written
reasons - which must be done within 30 days - before deciding whether to
take further action.

Don Adams, executive director of the Canadian Equestrian Federation, said
his group will abide by Ratushny's decision, although "it was not what we
were promoting.

"Effective immediately, Eric Lamaze is a member in good standing of the
Canadian Equestrian Federation," Adams said. "As far as we're concerned,
he's on the team, but the Canadian Olympic Association determines that."

Lamaze, born to a cocaine-addicted mother and a father who has never been
identified, started out as a poor francophone street kid in Montreal.

His alcoholic grandmother raised him while his mother served time in prison
for drug dealing. At 14, Lamaze was supporting himself through riding. He
has only a Grade 8 education.

Lamaze now operates a thriving stable near King City and lives in a
sprawling home. He drives a Porsche and earns a six-figure salary.

With files from Canadian Press