SYDNEY (CP) -- Jonathan Asselin, the Calgary reserve who was to take Eric Lamaze's place on the Canadian Olympic show jumping team, is furious at an adjudicator's ruling lifting Lamaze's lifetime ban for doping.

 "My feelings are that there's been a double standard here," he said Tuesday. "We all signed an agreement with the Canadian Equestrian Federation to conduct ourselves properly -- to not use drugs. I'm really perturbed.

 "(Lamaze) has had two infractions in the past six weeks and somehow he keeps slipping through the cracks."

 Canadian Olympic officials have yet to rule on whether to invite Lamaze back into the Olympic fold. They will hear from Lamaze during a conference call on Wednesday.

 "I question why the COA would have Eric on the call," Asselin said.

 Asselin recalled reading an oath for Olympic athletes not to use drugs on the big screen during the opening ceremonies last Friday night. He doesn't understand how Lamaze can participate in the Olympics after clearly violating that oath.

 "You know, my daughter is 15 years old and she's a rider," Asselin said. "I'm scared now that someone will go up to her and ask: 'Do you use cocaine?"'

 Asselin says riders from other countries have been kidding the Canadians all week, asking them if they had "snorted."

 Show jumper Jay Hayes, 43, of Cheltenham, Ont., shared Asselin's disgust.

 "I'm appalled. I have three young daughters," Hayes said.

 "It's not the first time but I hope it's the last time that he's let his team and country down," Hayes said of Lamaze. ' 'To be taken down like this is a national tragedy for the sport."

 When asked what he would say to Lamaze if and when he returns to the team this week, Hayes responded: "Nothing."

 Asselin and Hayes both said the team was beside themselves because of the decision.

 "We have a fantastic team and we've been devastated by this," Hayes said.

 Asselin also said the Canadian Equestrian Federation had shown no backbone by accepting the ruling.

 The Canadian equestrian team leader was more conciliatory, saying Asselin had been a "trooper" throughout Lamaze's doping appeal.

 "It's been an emotional roller-coaster ride for the team, particularly for Jonathan Asselin," said Terrance Millar of Kettleby, Ont. "But Jonathan knew there'd be some uncertainty when he came here as a reserve."

 "Jonathan all along has been quite a trooper," Millar added. "He's said 'I came as a spare. I knew that if I did ride, it would be under unusual circumstances.' So he's been very accepting."

 Millar said the Canadian equestrian team had a team meeting on Tuesday morning to discuss and the situation and clear the air.

 "There's some mixed feelings," Millar said. "I think the feeling is that they want the process . . . to take its course."

 Millar says the worst part of it all is the waiting.

 "The uncertainty is probably the worst thing. Once this is resolved we'll be a happy group," he said.

 From competition point of view, Millar says there's no doubt Lamaze is a major part of the team.

 "Eric and his horse had a terrific year so they were really counted on as a major component on this team," Millar said. "We were certainly dismayed when this crisis arose.

 "It came as a real shock to everybody. It came out of left field."

 But Millar doesn't think all the unwanted attention the Lamaze case has brought to show jumping will hurt the sport's image in Canada.

 "At the end of the day drug use exists everywhere in society. I don't see it as a show jumping issue."