Pubdate: Mon, 02 Sep 2002
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Telegraph Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114
Author: Patrick Jourdain, Bridge Correspondent, in Montreal

BRIDGE PLAYER IS STRIPPED OF MEDAL FOR REFUSING DRUG TEST

The world of bridge was in uproar yesterday after a drug scandal at
the world open championships in Montreal.

Disa Eythorsdottir, an American professional, 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 US team members were chosen for the tests but Eythorsdottir, who
is orginally 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."

She added: "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.

He added: "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 US.

She had to stand aside as her five team-mates received their
medals.

The WBF suffered another blow when Mr Damiani said that the IOC
programme commission was advising against accepting bridge.
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MAP posted-by: Derek