Not a great defence

The Herald reports:

World champion pole vaulter Shawnacy Barber was cleared to compete at the Rio Games after an arbitrator accepted claims he had accidentally ingested cocaine after kissing a woman he had solicited for sex on the internet.

Barber tested positive for cocaine after winning the Canadian Olympic trials. He was later cleared to compete in Rio where he finished 10th.

According to Deadspin, the decision was made by the Sports Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada two days prior to the beginning of the Olympics, but had only become public information today.

Barber stated he had posted on the casual encounter section on Craigslist, looking for a disease-free, “professional” woman to help ease stress ahead of the trials in Edmonton.

A man responded with a woman who Barber was told was a mother of two, which Barber liked as he believed that meant she would be “more cautious” and “reserved”.

The woman, who spoke at the hearing, had snorted cocaine prior to arriving at the hotel Barber was staying at, and again in the hotel bathroom upon arrival.

Heh, an unusual defence. I did not snort cocaine, the prostitute I hired did.

I wonder if they got any scientific evidence about whether you can get enough cocaine in your system from kissing, for it to show up?