STAR BANNED FOR DRUGS NOT ALONE

Drug experts say it is not surprising that top Kiwi sports stars
often test positive for cannabis because use of the drug is so
widespread in New Zealand.

Tall Black star player Mark Dickel, 29, has been banned from the
team's series against Qatar after testing positive for cannabis.

Dickel was randomly tested after a Tall Blacks' game last month and
produced a positive result, but is still waiting for results from another test.

Drug Foundation executive director Ross Bell said cannabis was the
most popular illegal drug in New Zealand and so it was no surprise
that it was also the most commonly-detected banned substance in New
Zealand sports.

"Sports players represent a population of the community, and that New
Zealand community smokes pot." Bell said cannabis was performance
reducing, not enhancing, and so sports players were not using it to
better their game.

He said 20 per cent of Kiwis had tried cannabis, and 80% of young
people had tried it.

"We shouldn't be surprised that a sportsman has used cannabis, just
as we shouldn't be surprised if a lawyer, or a policeman, or a judge
has used cannabis," Bell said.

"If we look at the general population, we do know that cannabis is
hugely prevalent in our country."

Drug Free Sport New Zealand executive director Graeme Steel said that
in the year ending June 30, 2006, there were 15 positive drug tests
in New Zealand sports. Ten of those were for cannabis.

"It seems to be across the board," Steel said.

"It's just a reflection of what young people - and I use that term
broadly - are doing. There's nothing that has suggested to us that
sportspeople are doing it more than others."

Steel said that in most cases cannabis had not been used in an
attempt to enhance performance, but more in social situations.

Cannabis was banned in New Zealand sports because it was harmful to
health and was contrary to the spirit of sport.