NO POWER TO QUESTION TODD, SAYS EVENTING

Eventing New Zealand says it has no power to question Mark Todd about
allegations that he snorted cocaine.

Todd was last week named as a member of the New Zealand eventing team for
the Sydney Olympics.

The selection policy states that the overriding principle for selection is
that an athlete "must bring credit to himself/herself, their sport and New
Zealand."

Athletes also had to "serve as an example to the sporting youth of his or
her country."

Eventing New Zealand's chairman, Scott Carter, said last week that Todd had
never been asked whether the allegations printed in the British Sunday
Mirror, that he took cocaine with a gay lover, were true.

But last night, when the Herald asked why the question had not been put to
Todd before his selection, Mr Carter said: "To date it has relied on proven
facts, being Mark Todd's declaration as to his Olympic eligibility and his
clean record of sports drug testing over a lengthy period.

"Eventing New Zealand has no power or right to demand that Mark Todd, or
any other athlete, answer to allegations that ENZ does not itself hold
positive proof of.

"Currently, Eventing New Zealand only has the newspaper story in front of it.

"If a request was made to Mark Todd and he declined to give an answer,
Eventing New Zealand would still have no proof on which it could act."

Mark Todd had made it known that he would make no comment on the allegations.

"Eventing New Zealand, therefore, has no other avenues to pursue than those
we have already complied with during the selection process."

But the allegations of drug-taking have brought a sharp response from the
group responsible for testing New Zealand athletes for banned drugs.

New Zealand Sports Drug Agency programme manager Jayne Kernohan said she
was surprised that Eventing New Zealand had not asked Todd whether the
allegations were true before naming him in the team.

"In general it does concern us that athletes that are meant to be role
models could be seen to be taking illegal drugs," Ms Kernohan said.

Team selector Jim Wright has refused to comment.