CANADIAN BOXERS TEST POSITIVE FOR MARIJUANA

TORONTO -- Two of Canada's top amateur boxers may lose out on their
2004 Olympic dreams after testing positive for marijuana.

Windsor's Andrew Kooner, a silver medallist at the 2002 Manchester
Commonwealth Games, and Sebastien Gauthier of St-Jerome, Que., who
captured a flyweight bronze at the same Games, tested positive for
marijuana as a result of out-of-competition drug tests on Sept. 22 and
Sept. 20 respectively, The Toronto Sun has learned.

According to Robert Crete, Canadian Amateur Boxing Association
executive director, the A samples from urine tests conducted on the
two boxers came back positive for the drug.

SEVERE REPRIMAND?

A sanction, ranging from a severe reprimand to a possible four-year
suspension from competition, will be issued by the international
governing body of boxing (AIBA) if the B samples, which will be opened
within the next few days, also come back positive.

"It's tough, they're both in shock," Crete said.

He said the two fighters have denied using marijuana.

"These two athletes are our main hopes for the Olympics," he
said.

"Our No. 1 boxer, in terms of win-loss ratio, is Kooner. And
Sebastien, with a good draw at the Olympics, could be standing on the
podium."

PARTICULARLY UPSETTING

What's particularly unsettling to CABA officials is that according to
Crete, AIBA requested that World Anti-Doping Agency officials target
some members of the Canadian team for so-called recreational drug use.

"We were taken by surprise," Crete said.

"We've sent a letter to (AIBA) asking for some clarification on why
exactly they requested that marijuana be tested on our guys."

There has been major debate on whether marijuana should be on the WADA
banne d list, as it is not considered a performance-enhancing drug. In
the meantime, Crete said CABA is hoping, even though the odds are
against it, that the B samples will come back negative.

"Have no fear, we'll stand behind our boxers," Crete said. "They've
given a lot to boxing and we don't drop athletes like that."