World champion kayaker jailed for drug dealing

World champion kayaker jailed for drug dealingSydney - Former kayak world champion Nathan Baggaley was jailed for at least five years Friday for dealing in the party drug ecstasy.

The 32-year-old was sentenced to a maximum of nine years in jail with a non-parole period of five years after pleading guilty in February to manufacturing ecstasy and supplying more than 1,500 tablets.

His brother, Dru Baggaley, 27, was sentenced to a maximum of 12 years' jail after pleading guilty to the manufacture and supply of a large quantity of the drug.

The brothers were arrested in 2007.

Baggaley was a triple K1 500-metre world champion and won two silver medals at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

His lawyer told the court the Australian athlete's life had gone from bad to worse after receiving a two-year ban in 2005 for steroid use.

"It's been a hard come-down from being a world champion, a revered person in his home town, internationally and nationally, to someone who has been completely vilified," John Weller told the court.(dpa)