Westfield’s Judoka Won’t Let Pot Brownie Define Him, Returns To The Olympics

WESTFIELD, NJ — It has been almost exactly four years ago to the day that Westfield’s Nicholas Delpopolo was expelled from the Olympics for testing positive for cannabis.

Delpopolo who was competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics in Judo says he didn’t know there was pot inside a brownie he ate at a celebration party with friends.

“It was the worst thing I have ever done in my life, it really is,” Delpopolo told Patch.

Afforded a second chance, the American Judo fighter has a new sponsor and is heading back to the Rio Olympics for a chance at redemption.

But the journey back to the Olympics was a hard road.

Delpopolo said people he thought who were friends turned their backs on him, started talking trash about him online and in public. His sponsors back out and even strangers would approach him to curse and yell at him.

“I am very sensitive and try to treat people the way I would want to be treated,” Delpopolo said. “I would lose sleep over it. I would think, ‘Why can’t they forgive me?’ They were even going so far as to attack my family.”

“It wasn’t like I was cheating, I wasn’t trying to cheat the system,” Delpopolo said of the pot brownie incident. “I didn’t hurt anyone necessarily. And yet people hated me.”

Delpopolo hit rock bottom until some fellow athletes and friends reached out to show concern. A huge turning point was when he received letters from fans.

“The letters said I was still their favorite Judoka and to not let this define me,” Delpopolo said.

He got to work. And worked hard.

“At 23 years old, it was too early to quit judo or athletics,” Delpopolo said. “I just didn’t want me being expelled from the Olympics to define my judo career, because that is a pretty crappy way to go out.”

He would train two hours of judo in the morning, then work, then do an hour and a half of weights or running, then take college courses online then do another two hours of judo at night.

Every. Single. Day.

His job during the day was anything he could do to earn a living. He mowed lawns, fixed things around neighbors’ homes and more.

“I really needed money, I needed a way to live,” Delpopolo said.

But overtime he was burning out and not having the energy to train at night.

That’s when his sponsor Alan Gebheart stepped in. He heard about Delpopolo’s story and wanted to help him. He gave Delpopolo money so he didn’t have to work anymore and could concentrate on just his training.

“Without him I really wouldn’t be here,” Delpopolo said.

He also gives credit to his parents who save him and nurture his athletic career.

Delpopolo was born in Yugoslavia and lived in an orphanage until he was one and a half years old.

His parents, Dominick and Joyce Delpopolo, adopted him and took him home to Westfield. They were so happy to have Nicholas that they placed in every extracurricular activity as possible.

Depopolo did soccer, basketball, ballet, dance, keyboard, violin, cooking classes, anything and everything.

“For my parents I was a miracle for them,” Delpopolo said. “They didn’t expect to get me and when they did they didn’t waste a single moment.”

At the time Delpopolo’s father Dominick was taking karate and took Nicholas along.

He tried out the class but it wasn’t something he truly liked. Depopolo was more into “Power Rangers” and “Dragon Ball Z” types of fighting.

As the father and son were walking out of the studio, Delpopolo saw a judo class going on and immediately wanted to try.

At 5 years old Delpopolo was hooked and has trained ever since.

Now at age 27, Delpopolo is hoping his journey and story will help others.

“I want to take what happened to me and share it with others,” Delpopolo said. “Don’t give up, negative things happen but don’t let it define you.”

To learn more about Delpopolo and follow his journey visit http://www.nickdelpopolo.com/ or Facebookor Twitter @NickforGold.

(Photos provided: Nicholas Delpopolo. And Delpopolo with his parents Dominick and Joyce)

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