KEY POINTS:
A New Zealand V8 racecar driver has been banned after returning a positive drug test for a banned recreational drug.
Dale Lambert tested positive for cannabis at the Manfeild round of the NZV8s in February 2007.
Drug Free Sport New Zealand officials arrived at the circuit for the first-ever drug screening episode of the sport without prior notice and selected three Toyota Racing Series drivers and four NZV8 drivers.
"Our members are subject to WADA's list of banned substances and it's the first time the agency has turned up at a circuit," said MSNZ general manager Ross Armstrong. "It's disappointing that we've had a positive urine test first time up but it reinforces to competitors that drugs will not be tolerated in the sport."
Unlike alcohol and other recreational drugs that leave the human system relatively quickly, cannabis can be found in tests up to 23 days later. Testing for alcohol at meetings has been put in place and any driver found with any trace will immediately be stood down. The anti-doping authorities are also concerned about the use of methamphetamine or P.
After testing positive for cannabis, Lambert was advised of the result and the matter was referred to MotorSport NZ for adjudication. Lambert did not appear at the meeting but sent a letter admitting taking the cannabis, albeit some considerable time prior to the test.
The tribunal ruled the allegation was proved and Lambert was excluded from the New Zealand V8 championships for 2007-08 and his competition licence suspended until May 2010.
For a sport where the slightest miscalculation or lack of concentration can put a driver in the wall, motor racing has been a little slow over the years in introducing mandatory random drug testing.
Formula 1 has a random-testing system in place where at any meeting drivers can be tested.. Nascar also has a system but tests only on reasonable suspicion.
Other forms of the sport have various testing processes in place, but there are calls for more more stringent procedures.
