Judo Competitor Booted From Olympics After Drug Test
International Olympic Committee announces Nick Delpopolo disqualified from London games. Athlete had already competed and finished 7th.
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An Olympic judo athlete who trains in Wakefield has been expelled from the games after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
A statement from the International Olympic Committee said that Nicholas Delpopolo, 23, was disqualified after he provided a positive urine sample after a match on July 30. Delpopolo competed in the 73kg weight class and placed 7th in London.
A report on WCVB.com said that Delpopolo said that he unintentionally ate something containing marijuana before the games. The website also noted that this was the fifth positive test to come up during the London games.
The Team USA website lists Delpopolo’s hometown as Westfield, New Jersey, and he was born in Belgrade, in the former Yugoslavia. He trains in Wakefield.
Two other Olympic judo athletes who train at Jimmy Pedro’s Judo Center in Wakefield have made news in recent days.
Last week, Kayla Harrison became the first American to win gold in Olympic judo competition.
Another recent article on Wakefield Patch noted that Olympic judo competitor Travis Stevens, who also trains at Jimmy Pedro’s, lost a bronze medal match to a Canadian rival earlier in the games.
