Promising Dunedin wrestler Ricky Welsford has been suspended from all sport for three months following a positive test for a prohibited substance.
And it has cost the 20-year-old rising star an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics.
Welsford underwent an in-competition test at the New Zealand wrestling championships in August and returned a positive test for a substance commonly associated with synthetic cannabis, a prohibited substance under the World Anti-Doping Code.
Welsford has represented New Zealand at the Youth Commonwealth Games, the Commonwealth championships and the Oceania championships, and is regarded as an extremely talented wrestler with a bright future.
He had hoped to be nominated for the Oceania championships, where he planned to push his case for an Olympic berth but he was unable to be nominated because of a provisional suspension following his positive test.
Welsford admitted the violation and in evidence before the Sports Tribunal said he had been celebrating a friend's birthday on August 24. After a few drinks a friend passed around a "roll your own" Kronic cigarette which had been bought from a dairy before the sale of Kronic was banned.
Welsford said he succumbed to peer pressure from the group and took some puffs from one of the cigarettes. It did not occur to him at the time that Kronic might contain a prohibited substance or that it would affect his wrestling career.
The tribunal said there were several reasons which it felt justified a reduced suspension from the usual starting point of four months.
The tribunal considered his immediate acceptance of responsibility, the fact the violation was out of character and the loss of an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics as significant mitigating factors. However, the tribunal emphasised the care athletes needed to take and hoped Welsford would use his experience to help "drive home that message".
Welsford could not be reached for comment.
