This past weekend, Ross Rebagliati of Canada won the first gold medal for snowboarding in the history of the Olympics. For a sport barely two decades old, this was to be the pinnacle moment in its history.Rebagliati even said he knew that it was “the big time because there was drug testing.”Three days after snowboarding to gold, he was stripped of his medal for testing positive for marijuana, casting a dark shadow on the image of snowboarding and the Olympic Games. But why did he put himself in that situation? Why did he risk the greatest opportunity of his athletic career? The answers to these questions will never be clear, but this incident is only the most recent in a long history of drug abuse in the world of sports. As children, many dream of being professional athletes, but only a few have the talent necessary to achieve that dream. As one who did not achieve this goal, I am astonished how many who do reach this goal throw it away by using drugs. From baseball to basketball to even the Olympics, athletes have sacrificed years of hard work for the instant gratification of drugs. In baseball, stars such as Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry and Steve Howe have hurt or destroyed Hall of Fame potential careers. It seems that almost every week, a different NBA star is charged with marijuana possession (Allen Iverson, Chris Webber). The Olympics have always had a problem with steroids, but now a recreational drug has made its Olympic debut, causing many to think that snow boarding is not an appropriate Olympic sport. Do not let one bad apple ruin the bunch. There many other snowboarders who competed against Rebagliati and did not test positive for any drugs. These athletes did not risk years of practice in the moment they had always dreamed of. The greatest shame of the drug abuse in sports is how many of the abusers receive a second chance to achieve their dreams. Gooden and Strawberry came back from drug suspensions to win World Series rings with the Yankees in 1996, while Howe had seven drug suspensions yet could still play in the Major Leagues if he was capable. Every NBA star who is caught with marijuana normally receives probation,community service, and a small fine, pocket change for these multi-millionaires. The Canadian Olympic Committee appealed the disqualification of Rebagliati, claiming that he should not be banned for a non-performance enhancing drug. Their appeal was upheld, but I believe that athletes should have to stay clean from drugs for at least a year before they can return to playing their sports. Athletes should be held accountable of their actions like normal people when they are arrested for drug abuse. For the Canadian Olympic Committee to think that someone who uses drugs, even if not for cheating, should still be rewarded, is a mockery of sports and will send a terrible image to the children who dream of being athletes. Hey, kids, you too can smoke weed and be an Olympic gold medalist. Nicholas Dembski is the first in a hopefully long line of guest sports columnists.