drugs from sports at the Ministry of Youth Development, Sport and Recreation's Drug-Free Sports Conference on Saturday.

But she also reminded representatives of sports groups at Bermuda College that they also had the ability to solve the problem through what she called "demand reduction.'' "One of the reasons that I belive demand reduction is so important and why we in this room hold the key to demand reduction is the fact that many of our young people want to be involved in sport,'' Gordon told the gathering on Saturday afternoon.

"And they know that if they can be involved but be excused by their behaviour, i.e. if their coach knows that they are doing drugs but because he or she is a good player and will be put in the team anyway, then they are not the problem but we would be the problem.'' Gordon was Sports Minister in 1994 when seven Bermuda under-23 soccer players were arrested for drug possession in Miami Airport on a flight from Jamaica.

That sparked Government's Drug Free Sports Policy, which is now in the works and will be in place by early next year.

For the two-day conference on the weekend, two Canadian consultants, Casey Wade, the Director of Policy at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports, and Paul Melia, the Director of Education at CCES, were brought in.

"They could not bring a Canadian solution to the Bermuda context,'' Ministry Director Anthony Roberts said at the conference. "We ourselves have to identify the problem. What they have indicated is they have a process by which we can reach this particular point.'' In a series of meetings last month, the Ministry sat down with the National Drug Commission, the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the national sports' governing bodies, the clubs, coaches, players, Police, referees, the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Pathologist.

"They all came to us and discussed the issues from their perspective,'' said Roberts.

Based on information submitted over the last couple of years, the problem of drugs in sports is a serious one -- and it is also a community problem.

"This problem has been with us in Bermuda for most of my adult life, but I hope it will not take that length of time for us to collectively get together and deal with the problem and have it resolved,'' said Sports Minister Dr.

David Dyer.

Added Premier Gordon: "We have to decide, if we are serious about fixing this problem that has been so pervasive and is destroying our community... whether winning the game is as important as winning the war.

"And if we decide that winning the war is far more important than winning the game then the ethical issue is insuring that our young people are held out of performing until they are going to be a serious part of the (rehabilitation) process.'' Gordon urged those attending the conference to send a clear message to those athletes involved in drugs. She said that the intention was not to penalise but to rehabilitate. Just leaving them on the side, she said, would only create another problem.

Out of 35 sports governing bodies in Bermuda, 30 have now sighed the mission statement pledging their support while of the 28 clubs 15 have signed on.

Said Dr. Dyer: "We propose to move forward with as much haste and as much support as we can get. It will take the likes of you who are present here and others to move this process forward.

"We need to send a united and very clear message to this community that you will have no tolerance for drugs, not only in the community but particularly in sports.'' Added Gordon: "We can't stop you from doing drugs, that is a life's choice, but we can stop you from participating in sport.

"Once that message goes out and is consistent and serious and our young people recognise that the only way up is out, out of the drug market, that is when we are going to make progress.'' SPORTS SP