POT BAN STILL IRKS ATHLETES

Many Say Personal Habits Unchanged, Others Support New Rule

A year after marijuana was controversially added to the list of substances
athletes are prohibited from using, many McGill athletes say that while
they don't mind passing on pot during the season, they don't like the
invasive rule.

In keeping with the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA),
varsity athletes can now randomly be screened for marijuana during
competition season. Though screening of McGill athletes is continuing, none
have yet tested positive.

Chuck McMann, head coach of the Redmen football team, said he believes the
rule has changed the way McGill athletes approach marijuana use.

"Maybe I'm being naive, but I think athletes don't use [marijuana]. I go
along with the ban, because marijuana is an illegal substance, and anything
that can reduce the use of drugs in any forms is positive."

However, according to McGill athletes, the addition of marijuana to the
list of banned substances has not caused them to alter their personal habits.

"I hang out with a bunch of athletes and most aren't concerned about being
tested . Adding marijuana hasn't really changed people's behaviour maybe
for a week after it was first announced. People aren't too stressed about
it," said Dan Holden, a member of the volleyball team.

Currently, the consequences for an athlete caught with marijuana in their
system are light compared to the penalties for those testing positive for
performance-enhancing substances explained Director of McGill Athletics
Robert Dubeau,. He believes that the strongest deterrent for marijuana
users is that offenders' names are released to the media.

"A normal person would not want to see their name in the paper having
tested positive for marijuana, and everyone knowing that they broke the
rules," he said.

Dubeau explained that the regulation may be up for debate at WADA in the
future. However, he believes it will be difficult to remove this rule from
the list.

A number of the athletes interviewed believe that the rule should be
reconsidered, as they feel that it infringes on their personal lives.

"I totally understand if it's during the game. I don't know anyone who'd
want to play rugby high, but on your own time, you should be able to do
what you want recreationally . Individuals can make their own choices about
what to do in recreational time," said a female rugby player who wished to
remain anonymous.

Vaughan Richards, a soccer player, explained that he feels indifferent to
the marijuana rule because he does not feel that the drug has an affect on
an athlete's performance.

"It wouldn't bother me if someone smoked pot on the team -- it's not a big
deal because it's not a performance-enhancer."

While some athletes feel bound by the rule, others said their decision not
to smoke pot during the season is a matter of health, rather than
regulatory concerns.

"I wouldn't smoke during the season, because it's detrimental to you as an
athlete. The deterrent to me is not the regulation but the effect on my
performance," said Holden.