September 3 2002
Sydney Morning Herald

Montreal: The world of bridge was in uproar on Sunday after a drug scandal at the world open championships in Montreal.

Disa Eythorsdottir, an American professional, was stripped of her silver medal for refusing to take a drug test.

The World Bridge Federation was forced to hold an unprecedented emergency meeting to determine how to discipline her.

Random drug testing for bridge players at world championships was introduced in January 2000 as part of the WBF campaign for bridge to become an Olympic sport. Four US team members were chosen for the tests but Eythorsdottir refused.

Close to tears, she said: "They have taken everything, my medal, my name."I am on a diet drug connected with a back condition. I asked the authorities whether the drug was on the banned list and they did not know. The drug is on prescription but I did not obtain a certificate to cover it."

There are no prohibited performance-enhancing drugs for bridge so the WBF relies on the list of banned substances supplied by the International Olympic Committee.

Jose Damiani, WBF president, said: "Since we introduced random testing two players have failed but both so narrowly that we did not publish the names, informing only the player and their federation of the problem.

"However, she [Eythorsdottir] refused the test. She is deemed to have failed the test. Her medal has been removed and her name has been referred to her federation."

Eythorsdottir is from Iceland but married an American, Curtis Cheek, and is eligible to represent the US. She had to stand aside as her five teammates received their medals.

The WBF suffered another blow when Damiani said that the IOC program commission was advising against accepting bridge.

Telegraph, London