Olympics: Top Canadian rider banned in drug shock

A top Canadian show jumper has been banned from the Olympics - and could be banned from the sport for life -after testing positive for cocaine.

News of the positive test on 32-year-old Eric Lamaze came as New Zealand equestrian Mark Todd arrived in Sydney for the Games, after months of refusing to respond to allegations about his own cocaine use.

Lamaze, who was tagged as one of Canada's best hopes for an Olympic medal, failed a random drug test conducted at his home in the Toronto area late last month, said Victor Lachance, the chief executive at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport in Ottawa.

Because the recent test was his second breach, he now faces a lifetime ban from competition.

Lamaze also tested positive for cocaine in 1996 and was suspended from competition for four years.

This was later reduced to seven months after he successfully appealed against the penalty, arguing he used the drug for personal reasons and not to improve his riding performance.

In June, Britain's Sunday Mirror alleged that Mark Todd snorted cocaine during a romp with a gay lover.

It later produced pictures which appeared to show the Olympic champion using the drug in a hotel room.

Yesterday Todd arrived at the Olympics to be greeted by a lone autograph hunter and two news crews when he landed at Sydney Airport.

He took a few questions from reporters but made it clear there were to be none about the Sunday Mirror allegations.

"I've been looking forward to getting here for a while and over the last couple of days I've been looking forward to getting on the horses," said Todd.

"I can't wait to get started."

His two Olympic mounts, Eye Spy II and Diamond Hall Red, arrived safely from Todd's British stables last week.

They were taken to the equestrian venue - appropriately named Horsely Park - 28km west of the Olympic centre.

Todd last night joined the other members of the three-day eventing team in the athletes' village.

They are expected to hold a press conference today.

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