Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy Asaro
He can't ride if he tests positive so what are you talking about?
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It is important to remember that the rule isn't "don't fail a drug test". It is "don't ride under the influence, and admit that you are stoned and cannot ride if it happens".
The drug test is simply how we detect the riders who are violating. If he fails a drug test, that will mean that he has once again lied and endangered horses, and could be compromised to his dealers and others in the know.
If Pat Valenzuela, or any rider, was fighting a drug problem but was completely honest- i.e., self-reported every drug violation and took off his mounts- I would actually advocate for a significant amount of leniency. But that's not Pat- he gets stoned and then lies about it, sometimes dodging the test or forcing the regulators to catch him. He has done THAT over and over again. And honestly, he should have only been given one chance on that- the second violation should have been irrevocable banishment from the sport in any capacity. Not just for the drug use, but for failing to promptly report it to the stewards.
