Cannabis at the Olympics – Breaking cannabis news today

For those old enough to remember the 1998 Japanese Winter Olympics, you may also remember when Ross Rebagilati made history twice. He became the first athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in men’s snowboarding and was subsequently disqualified and stripped of his medal after a drug test found traces of THC in his system. This event and the media hype that followed made Rebagliati a kind of cultural icon. Much like Shi’Carri Richardson, having recently been banned from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) eventually overturned the decision and returned the gold medal mainly because THC was not on the list of substances banned in sport at the time. In 1999, however, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) put all natural and synthetic cannabinoids on its list of prohibited substances with the exception of cannabidiol. Substances that are included in the WADA prohibited list must meet three conditions: do they promote performance, are they dangerous for the athlete and do they violate the spirit of good sport?

The performance improvement debate

When cannabis was first classified as prohibited, there was broad consensus within the IOC that cannabis use can put the user in a relaxed and positive state of mind, which could be interpreted as a performance-enhancing property. WADA has similarly defended cannabis’ place on the banned substances list, arguing that it can relax the muscles of athletes, giving them an unfair advantage in pain relief and recovery. Ironically, cannabidiol (CBD) is not banned, although it is one of the key compounds in cannabis’ effects on muscle relaxation, pain, and anxiety.

Since 2013, the rules around cannabis have changed slightly. Athletes are now allowed to have up to 150 nanograms per milliliter (ng / ml) of cannabis in their systems. The previous threshold was 15 ng / ml. In 1998 Rebagilati had 17.8 ng / ml in his system. This means that athletes may have a small amount of cannabis in their system during competition. However, the IOC continues to prohibit cannabis use before, during, and after the Games. An athlete caught with a celebratory joint after the competition could risk disqualification, loss of medal, or suspension.

Because of the global stage of the Olympics, indulging is particularly risky. Athletes must comply with the laws of the country in which they are competing. Cannabis use at the upcoming games in Tokyo can be punished with up to five years in prison. The IOC states that cannabis is on the list of prohibited substances, among other things, in order to respect the law. They argue that this type of scenario affects the spirit of good sport.

How Legalization Affected the Prohibited Substance Status of Cannabis

Today, many countries have legalized cannabis, and the global perception of cannabis use has generally changed for the better. In return, many people in top sport want to reconsider their place on the WADA prohibited list. Athletes for CARE is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the global health, safety and quality of life for all athletes. In 2019, they started a petition to remove cannabis. They praise the therapeutic and natural health benefits of cannabis use and claim that WADA owes it to its athletes, “in accordance with WADA’s values ​​of ethics, fair play and honesty”, to provide them with access to “this gentle but effective herbal medicine.” . Unfortunately, this petition did not gain much momentum by removing the IOC or WADA from evaluating cannabis in competition.

The World Anti-Doping Code Prohibited List 2021, effective January 1, 2021, continues to list cannabinoids as banned from competition.

The removal of cannabis from the list of prohibited substances in the world of elite sport seems inevitable. However, there will be no changes this year. The Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan are slated to begin on July 23, 2021.

For more information or ways to get involved, visit Athlete’s for Change or sign their petition.