Following the trend for other competitive sports, the famous Iditarod will now be testing all human participants for drugs and alcohol during the 1,100 mile trail run. The testing will be done on every contestant at some point during the race.
One contestant in particular feels he is to blame for this new rule. Lance Mackey is a three time winner who freely admits to smoking medical marijuana on the trail. Officials for the race are not denying his allegations that the new rule is directed at him. Other contestants have complained about his marijuana usage and are doing whatever they can to beat him.
Mackey is a throat cancer survivor and uses the marijuana to cope with side effects that still linger from his illness. He is abiding by the rules and will not smoke while running the race this year.
The no drug and alcohol rule has been in effect since 1984, but has never been enforced. The dogs are tested for performance enhancers regularly. The majority of the participants believe the new policy is fair and has been a long time coming. Dog sledding is considered a professional sport and should follow the same rules as other professional sports.
Iditarod won’t commit to punishing drug and alcohol users
Iditarod Rule 29 says that violators of the race’s drug and alcohol policy MAY be disqualified from a particular race or be ineligible to participate for a specified period of time in future races, or both. The Iditarod does not obligate itself to punish violators of its rules.
And the Iditarod does not obligate itself to report illegal activity to the local authorities.
The Iditarod has not made public its Prohibited List of drugs.
Iditarod Rule 29:
“Use of Drugs and Alcohol: Alcohol impairment and drug use by mushers during the Race is prohibited. Violations of this policy may result in disqualification from a particular Race, ineligibility from participation for a specified period of time in future Races, or both.
All mushers will be subject to drug and alcohol testing under any of the following circumstances:
• Whenever a race official reasonably suspects that the musher is under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
• On a random basis, either individually or as a group;
• A random group or all mushers on a date or dates to be determined within thirty days in advance of the start of the Race;
• The first fixed number of mushers who arrive at a stated checkpoint (for example, the first thirty mushers to arrive in White Mountain).
For purposes of this policy, drugs will be defined in the Prohibited List which will be distributed annually no later than four months prior to the start of the Race.”
“Breathalyzer testing will be used to detect alcohol impairment which is defined as a .04% BAC. Discipline may be imposed immediately by the Race Marshall in the event of a finding of alcohol impairment.
A refusal to participate in drug or alcohol testing may result in immediate withdrawal from the Race. Adulteration of a test specimen may be treated as a refusal to participate in drug or alcohol testing.”
- Iditarod website, 2009
For more info on the Iditarod, go to helpsleddogs.org.