A wrestler on the U.S. Olympic team will give up her spot in the team and face suspension, after her drug test results during Olympic trials came back positive for marijuana.
U.S. wrestler Stephany Lee tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol acid, a marijuana metabolite, at the Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City on April 21. This was revealed by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday, June 28.
This was, however, not the first time that 27-year-old Lee tested positive for the drug. She also tested positive for marijuana in 2009.
Due to the positive test results, Lee has been suspended for one year and will be replaced in the U.S. Olympic Team. She has since accepted the sanctions, and will forfeit medals, points, or prizes dating back to her positive test. As such, Ali Bernard, who lost to Lee in a best-of-three championship series at the Olympic Trials, has been declared as the trials champion.
In a statement released through USA Wrestling, Lee said: “I apologize to USA Wrestling, my teammates, my coaches and everyone who supported me for my mistake. I will continue to train, and hope to be able to represent my country at the 2016 Olympic Games.” Bernard has been nominated to fill Lee’s spot to the Olympics.
Bernard is a graduate of New Ulm High in Minnesota, and placed 5th in the Beijing Olympics. She placed third at the World Championships in 2011, which qualified the U.S. to compete in the 72 kg weight class in the London Olympics. Her status as Lee’s replacement will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Olympic Committee, although such a confirmation is not expected to be an issue.
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