Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati was given his gold
medal back after the Court for Arbitration of Sport said the
IOC lacked agreement with the International Ski Federation
on marijuana use and could not strip Rebagliati of his
medal, according to an AP report on ESPN SportsZone. CAS
Secretary General Philippe Rochat: "It's purely the legal
issue. ... [I]f the international sports body wants such
rules, it has to specify clearly that marijuana is a
forbidden substance." The decision can't be appealed and
the IOC said it would "comply with the ruling" (AP, 2/12).
HALF-EMPTY, HALF-FULL? Before the panel ruled, many in
the media examined the impact a gold medal winner
disqualified for testing positive for marijuana would have
on the sport making its debut at the Games. In DC, Michael
Wilbon: "Dude, have you ever seen a sport go from being
ultimate in cool to totally in the dumper faster than
snowboarding?" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/12). In Chicago, Michael
Lev: "Just as snowboarding had achieved a major breakthrough
in exposure by becoming an Olympic event at Nagano, it has
to deal with a drug controversy that reinforces the
stereotype that snowboarding is not a sport, it's an
adolescent phase" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/12). In DC, Rachel
Alexander writes that while the sport "was being hailed [in
Nagano] as a wild success ... that image was tarnished."
Alexander: "With perhaps a little more life then they
bargained for, [IOC] members will have to decide whether to
keep the snowboarders around" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/12).
Header over Ted Anthony's AP story in Minneapolis:
"Snowboarding and Marijuana: How Much Of A Surprise?" (STAR
TRIBUNE, 2/12). But in N.Y., Filip Bondy writes that IOC
President Juan Antonio Samaranch "wanted the younger
generation. He got the younger generation's problems" (N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 2/12). In Detroit, Mitch Albom: "[W]hat did the
IOC expect? ... You import something from a strip-mall
parking lot, you take your chances" (DETROIT FREE PRESS,
2/12). In Baltimore, Ken Rosenthal writes that since the
IOC invited snowboarders to "participate, you take the whole
package. You don't turn on them after the fact" (Baltimore
SUN, 2/12). In S.F., C.W. Nevius writes on the front page
of the CHRONICLE under the header, "Snowboarders On The
Loose -- Olympics Asked For It" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/12).
TV COVERAGE: ABC's "World News Tonight" reported on the
Games 22 minutes into its telecast. Peter Jennings reported
that Rebagliati's medal was stripped due to his marijuana
test and a two-minute report followed on the history of
drugs at the Olympics (2/11). NBC's Tom Brokaw had a 15-
second report on Rebagliati (NBC, 2/11). "CBS Evening News"
reported the Rebagliati story 22 minutes into its telecast.
In Nagano, CBS' Bob Simon reported for 2:20 and focused on
Rebagliati and the sport of snowboarding (CBS, 2/11).
SPONSORS ON BOARD: Even before the ruling, snowboarding
sponsors said they would still support the sport, according
to Gayle McDonald of the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. Nike Canada,
Labatt Brewing and Ford Motor Co. of Canada all "rallied
behind" snowboarding. Mike Foster, Ford Motor of Canada
Communications Manager: "What one snowboarder did or didn't
do is irrelevant" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 2/12).
ROOM SERVICE: Austrian snowboarder Martin Freinademetz
was thrown out of the Games after a "riotous party at his
hotel during which he smashed furniture and office
equipment, according to his team" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/12).
