Jump to content

Ross Rebagliati

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2001:569:fb07:1400:99a1:9c8f:2e6e:236a (talk) at 15:31, 2 July 2021 (Updated summary to reflect current status). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Ross Rebagliati
Rebagliati in 2006
Personal information
Born (1971-07-14) July 14, 1971 (age 53)
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
WebsiteRoss-gold.com
Medal record
Men's snowboarding
Representing  Canada
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1998 Nagano Giant Slalom

Ross Rebagliati (born July 14, 1971) is a Canadian professional snowboarder and entrepreneur. Rebagliati is the founder of two cannabis companies.[1]

Career

Rebagliati was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. After turning pro in 1991, he was the first athlete ever to win an Olympic gold medal for Men's Snowboarding at the 1998 Winter Olympics. After winning the gold, he was found to have Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in his circulatory system following a urine test and he was disqualified.[2] This decision was overturned, largely on the basis that marijuana was not on the list of banned substances, and Rebagliati was given back the medal.[3] The next day he appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and became an instant icon to many globally.[4] THC has since been listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as a banned substance. In 2013 however, WADA amended its rules on cannabis, raising the threshold for a positive test from 15 nanograms per milliliter to 150 ng/ml. In 1998 at the Nagano Games, Rebagliati recorded a level of 17.8 ng/ml, and argued the test resulted from second-hand smoke, which he continues to maintain. Ben Nichols, a spokesperson for WADA, said the raising of the threshold is meant to catch only athletes who smoke during the period of a competition. The drug isn't prohibited out of competition.[5]

Since that day, Rebagliati has become a cultural phenomenon in the marijuana world and is an outspoken advocate and entrepreneur for cannabis. He has been involved in multimillion-dollar real estate development projects throughout British Columbia, as well as residential construction.[6] Rebagliati was the subject of full-page coverage in the July 14, 2008 edition of Sports Illustrated, which profiled his life since his Olympic win.

Ross has been able to take his love of the great sport to reach out to the youth in the community. As a member of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Ross helped grant wishes of children as far away as Florida. Ross has worked with other charities including the Whistler Rotary Club, BC Sports Hall of Fame, Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, Kids Help Phone and The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation.[7]

On October 23, 2009, Rebagliati announced that he would seek the federal Liberal Party nomination for the Okanagan—Coquihalla riding, in British Columbia. At the time, political observers suggested that this could be a tough challenge for the former Olympian, as the seat was held by Minister of International Trade Stockwell Day.[8] Eventually he bowed out as his business ventures brought him home to Whistler.

Medical cannabis as a performance-enhancing drug

According to the Washington Post, there is widespread agreement that marijuana can put users in a relaxed and positive frame of mind (although some can experience feelings of anxiety and paranoia), and for that reason, it can be considered a performance-enhancing drug, providing an athlete serenity and confidence he or she might not otherwise have had.[9] A 2006 article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine stated that THC, the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana, “engenders a certain heaviness, marked relaxation, and excessive fatigue of the limbs.” The article also noted that, because the product is usually smoked, that practice can have “detrimental effects on the lungs, oral cavity and upper respiratory tract.” [10]

Ross Rebagliati is a firm believer that cannabis is a performance enhancer, and that usage can be helpful for some activities such as extreme sports, as it improves muscle relaxation, reduces anxiety, and extincts fear memories (e.g., negative experiences) leading to enhanced performance. It may also improve sleep time and recovery, which may favour performance when an athlete is facing multiple competitions in a short period of time.[11]

Ross Rebagliati believes that Cannabis has many benefits of which CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the biggest. CBD has very powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Reducing inflammation helps to better manage the aches and pains an athlete’s body chronically endures. It also has a calming effect reducing stress and anxiety which are two more realities of being an athlete.[12]

Ross' Gold

.[13]

Since announcing the launch of Ross' Gold Rebagliati has been featured in numerous publications including USA Today,[14] the Huffington Post,[15] the CBC with Jian Ghomeshi,[16] The Toronto Sun,[17] and the cover of High Times in October 2013.[18]

In April 2015, Ross launched his own line of glassware and expanded his brand into over 100 stores across Canada,[19] and branched out into Hemp CB edibles.[20]

During the Canadian Federal election of 2015, he commented that he looked forward to the new Liberal government fulfilling its promise to legalize marijuana in Canada. He told the CBC, "I mean, to think I can be involved in helping people and sharing the knowledge that I have and a lot of people have about cannabis to the mainstream public. I think it's my responsibility."[21]

The New York Times Saturday Profile published an article on Ross in November 2018 where he noted that he is happy that marijuana is losing its stigma, even in the world of sports. “Athletes love cannabis because, among other things, it improves concentration and is fat-free and calorie-free.” [22]

Personal life

Ross is the father of three children and resides in Kelowna, British Columbia with his wife.[23] In addition to being a Canadian citizen, Ross is also an Italian citizen.

References

  1. ^ {{cite web |url = http://ross-gold.com/brands/
  2. ^ Alexander, Rachel (11 February 1998). "IOC Strips Gold From Canadian After Drug Test". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Snowboarder reinstated". The Minnesota Daily. Associated Press. 13 February 1998. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  4. ^ Olympic Gold Medallist Ross Rebagliati on Q TV. Q TV. January 28, 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  5. ^ Frederick, Dreier. "Rules change on Olympic marijuana testing". USA Today. USA Today. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Ross Rebagliati's Liberal candidacy goes up in smoke". The Globe and Mail. November 19, 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  7. ^ "SNOWBOARD OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST ROSS REBAGLIATI TO RUN FOR OFFICE IN CANADA". Teton Gravity. October 23, 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-19.
  8. ^ "Ross Rebagliati to seek Liberal nomination in B.C." CTV News. October 23, 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
  9. ^ Bieler, Des. "These famous athletes are advocating for marijuana as a workout tool". Washington Post. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  10. ^ Saugey, M (2006). "Cannabis and sport". British Journal of Sports Medicine. 40 (Suppl 1): i13–i15. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.027607. PMC 2657492. PMID 16799094.
  11. ^ O'Connor, Joe (April 22, 2015). "Olympic snowboarding champion Ross Rebagliati touts pot as performance enhancing drug". National Post. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  12. ^ Haddad, Sam. "COULD GETTING STONED ACTUALLY MAKE YOU BETTER AT SPORTS? THIS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST THINKS SO…". Mpora. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  13. ^ "Rebagliati looking to expand brand into U.S. marijuana markets". Retrieved 2013-08-13.
  14. ^ "Rules change on Olympic marijuana testing". USA TODAY. 17 July 2013.
  15. ^ "Ross Rebagliati Marijuana Store: Olympic Medallist To Open Medical Dispensary". The Huffington Post. 23 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Home - q - CBC Radio". 1 December 2015. Archived from the original on October 5, 2013.
  17. ^ "Ross Rebagliati's border-crossing experience doesn't bode well for Rob Ford". Toronto Sun.
  18. ^ "Ross Rebagliati: The High Times Interview". High Times.
  19. ^ "Ross' Gold(TM) to Launch Its Line of Premium Glass Smoking Products at the Toronto 420 Rally". Yahoo Finance. 8 April 2015.
  20. ^ "Ross' Gold Signs Licensing Agreement With Canna Products USA Inc. for Line of Hemp and CBD Products to Be Sold Both Online and Through Retail Outlets". Yahoo Finance. 28 January 2015.
  21. ^ "Olympian Ross Rebagliati hopes new Liberal government will legalize marijuana". 23 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Disgraced at Olympics Over Marijuana, Canadian Snowboarder Hopes to Ride to Cannabis Success". New York Times. 2 November 2018.
  23. ^ "Ross' Gold team". 21 January 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ross Rebagliati.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ross_Rebagliati&oldid=1031608078"