The International Olympic Committee has been testing and ousting athletes long before the start of the London Games in record numbers. Now, a positive test has claimed a member of the U.S. judo team.

Nicholas Delpopolo lost his spot in the Olympic Games after a drug test revealed he has tetrahydrocannabinol acid, better known as THC (an active chemical in marijuana), in his system. The testing was done stateside last month before the start of the Games, but the results came back shortly after his final match put him in seventh place.

Depopolo issued a statement apologizing to the U.S. Olympic Committee, his teammates, and his fans and that he is "embarrassed by this mistake." He also blamed the THC in his system on some "baked goods" that were laced with either marijuana or a marijuana-infused product.

The classification of THC and marijuana as a performance-enhancing drug and a substance worthy of explusion has been the subject of a long debate between athletic and medical experts. According to Reuters, no evidence has surfaced that marijuana can enhance on an athlete's performance and some see the decision as political or moral enforcement rather than an ethical or scientific one.

Photo: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images