The world pole vault champion of Beijing 2015, Shawn Barber, risked not to participate to Olympics for an anti-doping test positive to cocaine during the Canadian Olympic Trials in Edmonton.
The night before the event, Barber posted on the website Craiglist a request looking for a meeting with a woman that should have been “a professional without drug issues or illness“ so as to calm down the stress. The meeting took place in a hotel close to the one where the athlete was staying.
The athlete did not know that the girl had sniffed cocaine right before the meeting; a kiss was enough to make the substance enter in Barber’s body.
After receiving the positivity news the Canadian Anti-doping centre proposed the disqualification of 4 years and the trials result was cancelled. Barber’s attorneys have been able to demonstrate that the cocaine has not been assumed intentionally and the pole vaulter was not to blame, he has just guarded himself not enough.
As WADA regulation provides, the trials result has been cancelled because an illicit substance was found in his body, irrespective of the way it was assumed. Instead, as regards the disqualification proposal the athlete resulted to be not guilty, thus he will not be stopped.
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