Olympics 2012
We've all wondered: really, guys, can cannabis help you win Olympic gold?
By Rob Trump Posted 08.07.2012 at 4:29 pm 22 Comments

Nick Delpopolo American judoka Nicholas Delpopolo, expelled from the 2012 Olympics for doping. Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

On Monday, American judo competitor Nick Delpopolo was expelled from the Olympics for doping with cannabis. (He says he accidentally ate a pot brownie.) The key word here is “doping”--if the situation were different, Delpopolo might just have been “using." Cannabis is on the Prohibited List, a catalogue of banned drugs maintained by the World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA. Test positive for a drug on WADA's list? You're doping, and face dismissal from the Games. Test positive for anything else, even if it's illegal? No worries--you're free to compete. This is one powerful list. But why is cannabis, the users of which are not necessarily renowned for their athletic ability, on it?

I spoke with WADA about the process of creating and maintaining their list. Here's the basic rule, a version of which appears in their official code:

[F]or a substance to be considered for inclusion on the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, it needs to meet any two of the following three criteria:
  • Be performance enhancing;
  • Potentially a health risk;
  • Against the spirit of sport.

Elsewhere in the code (page 14, if you're reading along), the spirit of sport is defined--it’s both as inspiring as you might hope and as inexact as you might worry. It says the spirit of sport is characterized by values like "character and education," "fun and joy," and "courage." The idea that a drug's legality, and an athlete’s medal, might come down to something so subjective is troubling. And there is, unfortunately, no document explaining which banned drugs specifically violate the first and second criteria, which violate the first and third, and which violate the second and third. And the list is an ever-evolving entity.

Caffeine, for example, was considered dope as recently as the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, then removed from the list in 2004. Quoting WADA’s representative: "One of the reasons caffeine was removed was that many experts believe it to be ubiquitous in beverages and food and that having a threshold might lead to athletes being sanctioned for social or diet consumption of caffeine. Furthermore, caffeine is metabolized a very different rates in individuals, and may even be performance decreasing when consumed at certain levels." But cannabis is still listed.

WHY CANNABIS?

Cannabis is considered to be in violation of all three main disqualifying criteria. It violates the first (performance enhancement) because of its ability to decrease anxiety and fear, and potentially to improve some types of oxygenation and concentration. It violates the second (health risk) because it can result in, among other things, “decreased cognitive performance” and “pulmonary toxicity.” It violates the third (spirit of sport) because of the drug’s widespread illegality and conflicts with the “role model of athletes in modern society,” along with “negative reactions by the public, sponsors, and the media.”

Cannabis appears on the Prohibited List with a couple of caveats. It is banned only for use “in competition”; that is, a positive test for the drug that does not take place at the time of performance would not be against the rules. And it is on the Selected Substances List, containing substances that could conceivably be used recreationally or medically without any intention to boost performance. Use of a substance on the Selected Substances List could result in a smaller punishment than use of something that's just on the regular Prohibited List.

WADA’s Prohibited List will never be perfect--they’re asking questions for which there simply aren’t easy, perfect answers. But the organization should be applauded for the transparency with which they conduct themselves. Perhaps one day, cannabis will go the way of caffeine. If it does, you can bet that the reasons for the change will be explained fully and available online.

22 Comments

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jamesbrett12
08/07/12 at 4:59 pm

It's only illegal because YOU say it is officer.

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alivedrive
08/07/12 at 8:52 pm

"The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world."
- Carl Sagan quote on Marijuana

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jonny5ive
08/07/12 at 11:12 pm

This is crazy. I know when I use to smoke a long time ago the last thing I wanted to do was go running. performance enhancing my butt. maybe if eating junk food was an event then i could understand. in this corner........dopie doperson against stonie mcgee, gentlemen unwrap your taco bell burritos.....ding ding aaaaaand they are off.

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Mycellium
08/08/12 at 2:10 am

"The idea that a drug's legality, and an athlete’s medal, might come down to something so subjective is troubling. And there is, unfortunately, no document explaining which banned drugs specifically violate the first and second criteria, which violate the first and third, and which violate the second and third. And the list is an ever-evolving entity."

I know it sucks when anything follows the political correctness model. Never let people know what they actually can or can't do. It keeps them off balance and compliant. Later decide at random what to do, unequal punishment is a very effective tool, like screaming racism at a white person for something, then if a black person does it also yell racism at a white person again for noticing. Yup pc type ways of thinking are a nightmare. Its weird the only time people notice it is when it hits something they care about like cannabis but accept it completely when it just hurts others. yup pretty weird.

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jtowel
08/08/12 at 2:13 am

im do powerlifting and when i high i lift 2-6 pounds more.

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boka
08/08/12 at 7:39 am

I do yoga while baked. It's the closest I have been to a spiritual experience. And definitely makes love making amazing. As for athletics? It depends on the sport. For Judo? definitely a performance enhancer.

-

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours"

- Stephen Roberts

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Johngalt035
08/08/12 at 7:48 am

So if I understand this correctly, the Olympic committee has in so much fanfare, that Cannabis has medical uses. I find it amusing that it is still a Class I drug in the USA. As in no medical use.

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D13
08/08/12 at 8:45 am

Cannabis is a very focusing drug. Especially for those with ADD and ADHD. Among other things it removes your peripheral distractions, allowing a sort of tunnel vision if you will. A users ability to focus on a single thing is very enhanced on this drug. If anything, this is a testament to the positive side of Cannabis. Even if it were leglalized I still agree with it being on this banned list. :)

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

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ssilletti
08/08/12 at 10:17 am

CAFFEINE, a natural STIMULANT has NOT been on the list of BANNED SUBSTANCES since 2004.

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sinajg
08/08/12 at 11:25 am

Cannabis is clearly a performance enhancing drug -- just look at what Michael Phelps has accomplished!

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killerT
08/08/12 at 12:56 pm

So to put it simply, athletes can take any performance enhancing substance they want, so long as it isn't on the list.
Heh, that's your drug free Olympics.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!

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boka
08/08/12 at 1:17 pm

Codeine is allowed but Cannabis is not. Something's wrong with this picture.

-

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours"

- Stephen Roberts

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BoronMoron
08/08/12 at 1:29 pm

I know a lot of professional baseball players smoke before games. They say it helps their reflexes. More instinctive, less pressure and anxiety. But it affects everyone a little different so its hard to tell

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Space
08/09/12 at 8:35 am

No to drugs, thank you.

..........................................
See life in all its beautiful colors, and
from different perspectives too!

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quasi44
08/09/12 at 5:46 pm

Don't know what any of you are doing about it yourselves, but for me it's about having had a grandmother and now an aunt with terminal cancer. Nothing is as effective as marijuana at letting you eat to defend yourself from the cancer and the chemo. And right on down the list of gastronomical maladies it does the trick, cheaply and organically. Where I live is one of the few places in the U.S. that is recognizing the therapeutic qualities of marijuana----because we are pursuing it for real, not so we can sit around and chief on a bong all day. Marijuana is a very complex plant once it's taken up the evolutionary chain a few hundred thousand generations, and at a certain point traits separate, and now the plain fact is that medical grade mj just isn't as good for the pothead.

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jbairddo
08/09/12 at 8:23 pm

Robin Williams said it best, the ONLY sport that this is performance enhancing is snow boarding. Gotta agree with galt035, Schedule 1 with no medicinal value but at the olympics it enhances sports requiring razor sharp concentration and reflexes? Sounds like ritalin.

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GregN913
08/12/12 at 9:59 pm

I agree with the above restrictions of Marijuana use. What I am about to go into is personal experience...
I have a spine injury for which I have found the occasional use of Marijuana helpful, especially during times of strenuous exercise.
It is indeed a performance enhancing drug. Once while hiking a long and steep mountain range, I smoked marijuana after a few hours of hiking.
Immediately afterwards I felt reduced fatigue and physically lighter (paradoxically to the effects of being "stoned" where oneself may feel more heavy).
I can personally attest to the use of Marijuana for boosting endurance, given that you body is not currently at it's limit for physical activity. While as I was under the effects of this herb, I still maintained mental focus and alertness, most likely due to the state of my mind while exercising.
Yes it should be banned from the Olympics (IMHO).

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FlyBoy83
08/13/12 at 1:04 pm

Its not a question of being illegal or not. You got accepted in to the Olympics and obviously did not understand or read the rules and regulations while taking part. Feel sorry for? NOT !!!!!

I am not saying I agree with the laws regarding marijuana, simply pointing out that its the Olympics DUHHH!!!

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FlyBoy83
08/13/12 at 1:08 pm

Oh and on more thing, You accidentally ate a pot Brownie? Be a man not a liar.

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Vapur9
08/15/12 at 3:20 pm

Greg, you realize by that same reasoning that alcohol could be considered a performance enhancer.

In any case, marijuana is an easy substance to obtain in order to taint your competition's food with ...

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RainyDayInterns
08/16/12 at 1:37 pm

It sure did Nick a lot of good...

http://www.rainydaymagazine.com
"We Entertain When It Rains"

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Rubiconnn
08/16/12 at 4:09 pm

Silly stoners. One moment they tell you how weed reduces pain and the next minute they tell you it doesn't give you any advantage...


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