Monday, October 1, 2007

Drugged by his homeland

A small, unruly element developed when he moved from Team New Zealand to Alinghi for the 2002-03 cup, he said.

At times he had been subjected to considerable personal harassment.

He said that in the week before the drug test being conducted on June 23, race one of the cup, he had visited one bar in Palma and two in Valencia where he had consumed drinks that he had not bought, which could have been tampered with without his knowledge.

He also received a note in the mail a day after his drug test which said, "I heard you were tested, how do you think you will get on? Ha Ha."

Daubney discarded the note, thinking it was a practical joke.

The jury was satisfied that an anti-doping rule violation had occurred but believed that Daubney was telling the truth when he stated that he had not knowingly taken cocaine or any other banned substance.

Character witnesses for Daubney during last week's hearing included fellow Kiwi sailors Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth.

Alinghi elected not to attend.