With the 2026 Winter Olympics set to start later this week, a former Team Canada snowboarder has been brought to justice after being on the FBI’s most wanted list since March 2025.[1] Ryan Wedding, the former Olympic snowboarder who represented Team Canada in the 2002 Olympics, has finally been arrested after being on the run for several months.[2] Wedding, the world-class-athlete turned drug kingpin, was arrested in Mexico City and extradited to the United States on January 22. The arrest came after several months of negotiation, which culminated with Wedding turning himself in to the US Embassy in Mexico City.[3]
Wedding, now in custody, faces charges related to a series of crimes pertaining to his role in orchestrating and leading a transnational drug enterprise for the Sinaloa Cartel. Prosecutors further allege that Wedding had a part in orchestrating the murder of a federal witness and two people in Ontario, Canada.[4]
Wedding made his first i-court appearance on Monday, January 26, where he waived a reading of the indictments against him and pleaded not guilty. Interestingly enough, Wedding’s lawyer suggested he may seek bail for his client, which the judge quickly denied.[5]
The climax to this snowboarding drug boss’s fall from grace comes just a week before the Winter Olympics are set to begin in Italy, where Team Canada, Wedding’s former team, seeks to place in several events.[6]
[1] ABC News Chicago, Ryan Wedding, former Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug kingpin, pleads not guilty in court, ABC (January 26, 2026).
[2] Rob McMillan, Ryan Wedding, former Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug kingpin, arrested, ABC News (January 23, 2026).
[3] Amy Taxin, Ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding pleads not guilty to running drug smuggling ring, PBS (January 26, 2026).
[4] 16 Defendants Charged in Superseding Indictment Alleging Bulk Shipments of Cocaine to Canada, Four Murders, United States Attorney’s Office (October 17, 2024).
[5] Regan Morris, Former Olympian Ryan Wedding pleads not guilty to drug kingpin charges, BBC News (January 26, 2026).
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