Ross Rebagliati
Snowboarder in a Snowstorm of Controversy
Ross Rebagliati, the Canadian snowboarder who made history by winning the first Olympic gold medal in snowboarding at the 1998 Nagano Games, found himself in hot water—or rather, a snowstorm—when he tested positive for THC. While Rebagliati claimed the positive test was due to second-hand marijuana smoke, the controversy was enough to spark global debate. Imagine winning gold and then having to explain that your ‘performance-enhancing drug’ was a contact high!
From Controversy to Cannabis Advocate
Rebagliati’s medal was initially stripped but later returned after THC was found not to be a banned substance at the time. This incident did not end his connection with cannabis; in fact, it led to a new chapter in his life. Rebagliati became an advocate for medical marijuana, leveraging his notoriety into a career in the cannabis industry. His story is a perfect example of turning a potentially career-ending scandal into a second act—though not exactly as one might have planned.
