For the 57 players who are vying for a spot on Olympic Team USA basketball team, cannabis testing will resume. The NBA hasn’t tested players since the pandemic began, so just over a year. In 2020 when the tournament took place in the Disney Bubble, players couldn’t leave, they couldn’t see family or friends, and they couldn’t go anywhere in the bubble without approval. 

So, to help ease the mental stress players were experiencing, the NBA committee said they wouldn’t test for cannabis. This would allow players to relax and not have to worry about failing a drug test and not being able to play. 

In December of 2020, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league would be continuing the cannabis testing suspension into the 2020-2021 season. Again, the pandemic caused lots of stress for players and their families. Plus, several states that the NBA plays in had legalized cannabis use. It would be difficult for players and testers to know when someone consumed cannabis and if it’s legal in the state or not. 

Olympics

The Olympics are scheduled for this summer, in Tokyo, after being suspended a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are still concerns about the safety of players and spectators with another spike of Covid-19 cases in Japan. The Olympics haven’t been reschedule. So the rules are still in place. 

The World Anti-Doping Agency works closely with the Olympic Committee. They conduct the testing and collection of samples. In a recent memo sent to participating countries, “it is the athletes’ personal duty to ensure that no prohibited substance enters their bodies. Athletes are responsible for any prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers found to be present in their samples.”

The anti-doping rules updated in March of this year. Players must follow them exactly. Starting May 25th, all athletes, including the NBA players, will be tested for cannabinoids, narcotics, and performance enhancers. The Olympic summer games will begin July 1st, which coincides with the NBA finals. 

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