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Lamaze banned for life after failing second dope test
MONTREAL, Sept 9 (AFP) - Top Canadian horseman Eric Lamaze, kicked off the national Olympic squad after testing positive for cocaine, has been banned from the sport for life after a second test confirmed the result, the Canadian Equestrian Federation (CEF) announced Saturday. "It's a sad day for all of us," said CEF director Don Adams, after informing the 32-year-old rider of the decision, which he is allowed to appeal. Canada's Center for Ethics in Sport (CCES) on Thursday confirmed a doping test on August 29 had turned up traces of cocaine in the urine sample of Lamaze. He was thrown off the Sydney team following the test. Lamaze was also excluded from the Atlanta Games after he tested positive for cocaine prior to the 1996 Olympics. The 1999 Canadian national champion was suspended from all competition for seven months at the time, after appealing the initial four year ban, arguing that he took cocaine for personal reasons and not to improve his performance. Canadian Olympic Equestrian team chief Torchy Millar said that Lamaze had a fantastic season and had been considered "the top Canadian competitor in equestrian events for Sydney". He is the second Canadian athlete, after hammer thrower Robin Lyons, to fail a dope test prior to the Sydney Olympics. Lyons is appealing the decision.
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