Poppy seed bread to blame for triathlete's drug levels

Graham O'Grady crosses the finish line to win the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman in January. Photo / Supplied

A loaf of gluten-free poppy seed bread has caused a whole lot of trouble for triathlete Graham O'Grady.

O'Grady tested positive for morphine after winning the Tauranga Half Ironman New Zealand champs in January.

But a Sports Tribunal has determined he was not to blame.

It has accepted scientific evidence the morphine is likely to have come from the poppy seeds on the bread he had eaten for several days before the race.

While it is imposing no penalty on Mr O'Grady, he is automatically disqualified from the race.

The Tribunal emphasised this was a very unusual case.

- Newstalk ZB