Australian champion equestrian banned from Olympics over positive cocaine test
Jamie Kermond had won events in Australia before being selected for the Games
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An Australian equestrian will no longer be able to participate in the Olympics after testing positive for cocaine, officials announced Wednesday.
Jamie Kermond, 36, a show jumper, was set to make his Olympic debut in Tokyo.
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Equestrian Australia said earlier Kermond returned a positive A-sample for a metabolite of cocaine following a test conducted by Sport Integrity Australia on June 26. Officials said Kermond was banned from competing in the Olympics but had the right to have his B-sample analyzed.
The drug is banned under Australian and world doping laws.
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Kermond said Wednesday the positive test came from a recent social event, according to AAP.
"Sport Integrity Australia informed me last night that I had tested positive to cocaine following a test last month. It is likely that positive result was from a single recreational use of the drug during a social event and had no connection with my sport of equestrian," Kermond said.
"The consequence of this positive result is that I have been provisionally suspended from my sport by Equestrian Australia."
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He added that he hoped his actions could be forgiven.
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He was a triple Australian showjumping champion and was ranked 1,013th in the world rankings.