You Were Saying What About Drug Tests?
New Zealand V8 racecar driver Dale Lambert has been banned for two years after returning a positive drugs test for cannabis.
The Auckland driver tested positive at the Manfeild round of the national series in February.
The New Zealand Herald newspaper today reported that Drug Free Sport New Zealand officials arrived at the circuit for the first drug screening episode of the sport without prior notice and selected three Toyota Racing Series drivers and four V8 drivers.
“Our members are subject to Wada’s (World Anti-Doping Agency) list of banned substances and it’s the first time the agency has turned up at a circuit,” Motorsport New Zealand (MSNZ) general manager Ross Armstrong said.
“It’s disappointing that we’ve had a positive urine test first time up but it reinforces to competitors that drugs will not be tolerated in the sport.”
A tribunal established by MSNZ to hear Lambert’s case decided against imposing a financial penalty.
MSNZ said Lambert admitted taking cannabis, albeit some considerable time prior to the test being undertaken.
For a sport where the slightest miscalculation or lack of concentration can put a driver in the wall, motor racing has been a little slow over the years in introducing mandatory random drug testing.
Formula 1 has a random-testing system in place where at any meeting drivers can be tested.. Nascar also has a system but tests only on reasonable suspicion.
Cross posted @ Asian Motor Sports
Technorati Tags: World Anti-Doping Agency, New Zealand V8 Supercar Series, New Zealand, Dale Lambert
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