Thursday, February 12, 1998

THE POST

Athens, Ohio * An Independent Daily Newspaper * Ohio University


Gold medal controversy looms large
AP

NAGANO, Japan (AP) - Skater Michelle Kwan, not exactly the first person you think of when marijuana comes to mind, didn't hesitate when someone asked her about that Canadian snowboarder whose gold medal was yanked because some of the stuff was found in his system.

''Rules are rules. You've got to follow them,'' she said flatly Wednesday. ''It's very surprising to see an athlete busted for that.''

[Chris Williams]

Michael Lee/AP
Best Western Hotel general manager Chris Williams puts up a sign yesterday commenting on the controversy surrounding Olympic snowboarder Ross Rebagliati's alleged marijuana use. The Nagano Games were supposed to be Canada's best Olympics ever. But dismay replaced pride when news broke that the country's new snowboarding hero faced losing his gold medal after drug tests turned up traces of marijuana in his system.

Few wanted snowboarding in the Olympics more than Ross Rebagliati, 26, a spirited British Columbian with tousled blond hair, angled jaw and insouciant grin - a surfer dude to make Central Casting proud.

Snowboarding became Rebagliati's life a decade ago; when he won the first-ever Olympic snowboarding gold Sunday in the men's giant slalom, he was ecstatic for his sport and himself.

Today, he finds himself at the center of the first major controversy since the games began.


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