Brazilian water polo player Roberto Marques da Cunha Filho has been sentenced to a 2-year period of ineligibility after testing positive for a banned substance during the Brasil Open this summer. The suspension, handed out by the Brazilian Anti-doping Tribunal, officially began on June 15th, 2019 and will expire on June 14th, 2021.
Cunha tested positive for the banned substance cannabis, which is legal out of competition but is a banned substance in competition.
Marques was representing Fluminese in that tournament. The team finished 4th in that tournament after winning the title in 2018. Marques scored 7 goals in that tournament where he tested positive, which tied him as the tournament’s 19th-best scorer and his team’s 4th-best scorer.
Under World Anti-Doping Association rules, two or more members of a team in a team sport must commit an anti-doping rule violation during an event period for the team to face consequences.
I heard that swimmers and water polo players can mask the THC in blood and urine tests if they smoke the weed out of a bong filled with pool water*
* Reference: Nov. 2008, The News of the World, UofSC, M.Phelps
Thank God he was banned. I wouldn’t want my children any where near this monster. What kind of person would ever smoke this terrible terrible drug. I’m glad it’s banned because it’s definitely on par with heroin and poses a HUGE health risk for athletes. It kills millions of people each year and kills all of your brain cells. Not to mention how it ruins families and is a gateway drug. Praying for this man.🙏🙏
Ladies and gentleman, we got him.
Wack
It’s a painkiller. Ultra distance runners use it a lot to be able to just keep running and ignore the hurt. I could totally see getting a mild buzz letting you push a little harder when you’re on the back end of a 200 or in the late quarters of a polo match.
USADA’s explanation (https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/marijuana-faq/)
For something to be added to the WADA Prohibited List, it must meet two of the three inclusion criteria: a) it poses a health risk to athletes b) it has the potential to enhance performance and c) it violates the spirit of sport.
In 2011, WADA published a paper in Sports Medicine discussing the reasons marijuana and cannabinoids meet the criteria. Below are excerpts from this publication that address the three criteria:
“Athletes who smoke cannabis or Spice in-competition potentially endanger themselves and others because of increased risk taking, slower reaction times and poor executive function or decision making.”
“Based on current animal and human studies as well as on… Read more »
I’d argue the “role model” part
Maybe he kissed someone that smoked the cannabis 🤷‍♂️