Nouvelles-sport canadien
Boxing Athlete Under Suspension for Cannabis
(Ottawa, Ontario � June 11, 2007) � The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Marc Bourassa, an athlete in the sport of boxing, has committed an anti-doping rule violation. The violation occurred during the Boxing National Championships on February 16, 2007.
The anti-doping rule violation is a result of Mr. Bourassa�s urine sample returning an adverse analytical finding for cannabis, a prohibited substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
Based on WADA�s 2007 Prohibited List, the reporting threshold for cannabis by WADA-accredited laboratories is 15ng/mL. Mr. Bourassa�s in-competition sample returned a result from the WADA-accredited lab at a concentration of 1229ng/mL. As a result of the elevated concentration of cannabis found in Mr. Bourassa�s sample, and his inability to establish that the use of cannabis was not for performance enhancing reasons, the CCES proposed in its notification that the sanction for this violation be two years sport ineligibility and permanent ineligibility for federal sport funding.
In response to the CCES� notification of the adverse analytical finding, Mr. Bourassa waived his right to a hearing and acknowledged the commission of an anti-doping rule violation, thereby accepting the sanction proposed by the CCES.
The CCES is an independent, national, non-profit organization. Our mission, to promote ethical conduct in all aspects of sport in Canada, is carried out through research, promotion, education, detection and deterrence, as well as through programs and partnerships with other organizations.