RELEASE

At its Meeting held on Friday 30th August 2002, the Executive Council of the World Bridge Federation resolved to disqualify one of the players in the McConnell Cup. The player was informed that she was not eligible to take her place on the podium, receive a medal nor be entitled to any Master Points.

The WBF wants to remind to those concerned that:

• The WBF was recognised as an International Sports Federation by the International Olympic Committee in 1999 on condition that it adopts:
  

  a. the Olympic Charter b. the court of arbitration c. the anti doping regulations

  All of the above have been incorporated into the WBF Constitution and By-laws

• It is the absolute belief of the WBF that the anti doping regulations are:
  

  a. to protect the players' health b. to ensure the integrity of the competition

  and would have been enforced anyway even in the absence of IOC recognition.

• It is recognised that some substances can enhance concentration and stamina at bridge, as well as be also injurious to the person or persons using them
• The regulations as they are published in the 2002 General Conditions of Contest are mandatory for everybody and that the refusal to take a drug test is consequently subject to penalties.
• The regulations as published by the IOC and referred to in the Conditions of Contest provide for any participant to inform the laboratories before the test if any medicine is taken under prescription which would be acceptable.