DRUG-TESTING SCANDAL HITS HOME FOR U.S. BRIDGE TEAM

MONTREAL--The world of bridge was in an uproar Sunday after a drug- testing
scandal at the world open championships in Montreal.

American player Disa Eythorsdottir was stripped of her silver medal for
refusing to take a drug test.

The World Bridge Federation was forced to hold an unprecedented emergency
meeting to determine how to discipline her.

Random drug-testing for bridge players at world championships was
introduced in January 2000 as part of the WBF campaign for bridge to become
an Olympic sport.

Four U.S. team members were chosen for the tests, but Eythorsdottir, who is
originally from Iceland, refused.

Close to tears, she said, "They have taken everything, my medal, my name.

"I am on a diet drug connected with a back condition. I asked the
authorities whether the drug was on the banned list, and they did not know.

"The drug is on prescription, but I did not obtain a certificate to cover it."

There are no prohibited performance-enhancing drugs for bridge, so the WBF
relies on the list of banned substances supplied by the International
Olympic Committee.

Jose Damiani, WBF president, said: "Since we introduced random testing, two
players have failed, but both so narrowly that we did not publish the
names, informing only the player and their federation of the problem.

"However, she [Eythorsdottir] refused the test. She is deemed to have
failed the test. Her medal has been removed, and her name has been referred
to her federation."

Eythorsdottir, who is well-known in the bridge world, is from Iceland but
married an American, Curtis Cheek, and is eligible to represent the United
States.

She had to stand aside Saturday night as her five teammates received their
medals at the conclusion of the two-week tournament.

The WBF suffered another blow when Damiani said the IOC program commission
was advising against accepting bridge.

Daily Telegraph