On Wednesday in Nagano, Rebagliati's dream was shattered.

Ross Rebagliati was all smiles on Sunday, but his gold medal was stripped Wednesday.

The International Olympic Committee said Rebagliati tested positive for marijuana and ordered that his medal be returned. The announcement was made by Francois Carrard, director general of the IOC, at a hastily called press conference.

"Our decision is for disqualification of the athlete and his exclusion from the Games," Carrard said at a hastily-called news conference.

Carrard said two samples taken from Rebagliati both showed the presence of marijuana, and that is "an infraction to the IOC medical code."

Carrard added that while the IOC has requested the medal back from Rebagliati, the Canadian Olympic Association is filing an appeal. A hearing and decision before the Court of Arbitration for the IOC is expected within 24hours.

Rebagliati tested positive for marijuana use after winning the giant slalom on Sunday, Carrard said.

Carrard said the first part of the two-part drug test found traces of metabolized marijuana in Rebagliati's urine. The second part of the test turned up more signs of marijuana use, 17.8 nanograms per milliliter, Carrard said. That meant Rebagliati, whose triumph was celebrated throughout Canada, was out in the narrowest of votes.