Pubdate: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 Source: Press, The (New Zealand) Copyright: 2005 The Christchurch Press Company Ltd. Contact: http://www.press.co.nz/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/349 Author: Coen Lammers Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing) BAN HIGHLIGHTS CANNABIS ISSUE Vilimoni Delasau has been caught in a clash of cultures and his positive drugs test has highlighted the dilemmas sporting bodies and anti-doping agencies face because of cannabis use. Canterbury's Fijian wing was banned for a year from international rugby by the Fijian Rugby Union after testing positive after Fiji's 91-0 loss to the All Blacks at Albany on June 10. Delasau received a slap on the wrist from the New Zealand Rugby Union, a two-match ban and a $500 fine, but the FRU decided to throw the book at its international to "send a clear message". The discrepancies in those verdicts clearly illustrates the gulf between the two nations in regard to cannabis. In New Zealand, a substantial group, which includes members of Parliament, insists on legalising the drug to free valuable police resources for more serious offences. Even the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency (NZSDA) has argued for years to take cannabis and other social drugs, like party pills, off the World Anti-Drug Agency (Wada) list of banned substances. The Fijian authorities, on the other hand, take a very grim view of cannabis use. Only a few years back, the Government toughened its laws on the social drug, classifying cannabis as an A-class drug and attaching jail terms for possession of the drug. Unfortunately for Delasau, the wing got caught while on international duty, and as result was punished twice, by his New Zealand employers and his home union. It will be impossible to determine whether Delasau put the drug in his system while in the Fijian camp as cannabis traces remain in the blood for weeks. It does appear slightly odd that a nation which has mindnumbing sessions of kava at the centre of its society, brings out the sledgehammer to squash cannabis users. Delasau appears to have fallen into a legal, cultural and religious abyss created by cannabis. NZSDA boss Graham Steel yesterday acknowledged cannabis was still illegal in this country, but reiterated his stance that he would rather target "real cheats". Steel added his concern over cannabis use among young people but does not perceive it as a performance-enhancing substance. Other "experts" do not agree, including one rugby player on Radiosport yesterday, vowing that "a cone before kick-off" turns him into Jerry Collins. Steel and like-minded administrators in other nations may be eager to save time and money if Wada would alter its banned list, but they might be fighting a losing battle. Whether they like it or not countries like Fiji, who are entitled to have completely different cultural values, are also part of the international community and will be hard to persuade to think otherwise. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom