QMJHL HOCKEY LEAGUE INTRODUCES DRUG TESTING

MONTREAL (CP) - The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will introduce
drug testing this season as part of its anti-doping policy.

The league came under scrutiny during the 2003-04 season when a
Montreal newspaper reported more than a third of the league's players
regularly used stimulants, sedatives or marijuana and a player agent
claimed 40 per cent of junior players were using drugs.

Commissioner Gilles Courteau said at the end of October and beginning
of November seminars would be given to team general managers, coaches,
doctors and therapists on what substances will be legal and which will
be illegal.

Team management will be required to pass that information on to the
players and then random testing will begin.

The list of illegal drugs will be identical to that of the World
Anti-Doping Agency, which is based in Montreal.

The tests will be conducted by the Canadian Centre for Ethics on
Sport. Courteau would not say how many players would be tested.

"It's important to give one more thing to the players just to help
them out and develop themselves in a better way in a healthy
environment," Courteau said.

"We don't put this anti-doping policy in place just to run after our
players.

"It's my goal to give each and every player the opportunity to develop
himself in the proper way. If there is a problem, we're there to help
him out."

First-time offenders will be suspended from five to 10 games,
"depending on what kind of product the player has been using,"
Courteau said.

A second offence would result in a 25-game suspension. A third
violation would result in a two-year suspension.

The CCES began testing players in Quebec's midget AAA hockey league in
March.