Olympic hero Rob Heffernan has spoken about how his career hung in the balance after a doping test conducted moments after he woke from hip surgery produced an adverse result.

Disgraced US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte’s fall from grace continues apace.

A fortnight on from the first ripples of the multimillion-euro Irish Olympics ticket touting claims, two Irishmen are in a Brazilian jail, international arrest warrants are out for a billionaire football club owner, and a Government inquiry has been launched, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

It should have been the most exciting journey of Pat Ryan’s life but when Michael O’Reilly’s coach boards his flight to Rio to see his protege tomorrow, their reunion will be a subdued affair.

Jason Smyth (28), a visually impaired sprinter from Derry, is officially the ‘fastest Paralympian on the planet.’ He will be writing a monthly blog in the build-up to the 2016 Paralympic Games.

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to get in the ring with an Olympian boxer?

The father of Reeva Steenkamp has told a South African court that her fatal shooting by boyfriend Oscar Pistorius has "devastated" his family, and that he thinks about her constantly.

Fiona Doyle has waited for her chance, and is very determined to make the most of Rio, says Helen O’Callaghan

These identical blonde, blue-eyed giants were spotted pounding the West Cork roads over Christmas and the New Year: meet the Harte twins, the only Cork players on the Olympics-bound Irish Senior Men’s Hockey Team.

Geri Horner has confirmed the Spice Girls have had "talks" about marking the 20th anniversary of their debut single 'Wannabe' and first album 'Spice'.

Athletics coach Alberto Salazar has again strenuously denied doping allegations made against him, saying he believes in clean sport and hard work.

Athletics Ireland has unexpectedly announced that national endurance coach Chris Jones will be leaving the organisation.

Profits at the firm owned by the golden girl of Irish sport, Katie Taylor, are heading towards the €1m mark.

One company is coining it from the collection of coins from pay-and-display parking meters around the streets of Dublin.

Forget about gymnastics or ballet. Teens inspired by the Hunger Games films are increasingly joining archery clubs. It’s good, discipline says Nuala Wolfe.

Footballer Luis Suarez may have taken one too many bites at the World Cup, but tennis grunters and eye gougers have also been banned, Robert Hume reports

Oscar Pistorius’s lawyers wrapped up their defence of the Olympic and Paralympic star, bringing the dramatic murder trial of one of the world’s best-known athletes closer to conclusion.

Olympic medal winner John Joe Nevin is expected to be out of action until September after an assault at the weekend.

WOMEN'S PREMIER LEAGUE CUP FINAL:

A seething Oscar Pistorius fired his pistol out of a car’s open sun-roof after an argument with a police officer, ex-girlfriend Samantha Taylor told a court, the fifth day of his trial for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp.

Veteran broadcaster and Winning Streak presenter is rumoured to be on the way out, to be replaced by sports presenter Marty Morrisey.

Retirement. Or, as Brian O’Driscoll described it earlier this month, the afterlife.

The National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, tucked away down a nondescript laneway just off the M50, is a quaint kind of building for a place only turning 21 this year.

Twitter has insisted it has clear processes to help the police tackle racist abuse, after former England footballer Stan Collymore was subjected to death threats online.

I try to keep a positive mental attitude and to stay around positive people.

As we embark on the journey that will be 2014, there are so many topics I want to discuss but one keeps coming into my consciousness: the area of mental wellbeing for elite athletes.

The sports horse breeding firm operated by international show-jumper and Olympic medalist, Cian O’Connor last year cleared all hurdles to record profits of €216,885.

Over the decades, Cork has been a powerhouse of women’s sport.

Danny Boyle described the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics as a "warm-up" act for the Games.

Greek athletics has suspended all operations because of funding cuts, a month before the country holds the Olympic flame lighting ceremony.

Katie Taylor will make her first appearance in Cork tomorrow night in her penultimate bout in Ireland before she jets off for the 2012 World Championships in Qinhuangdao, China, where she’ll be hoping to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

The Spice Girls look set to reunite for the British Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

RORY McILROY is undecided whether he will contest next year’s Irish Open.

Martin Johnson’s future as England manager was thrown into doubt today as the Rugby Football Union began to deal with the fall-out from their ill-fated World Cup campaign.

Heineken sold less beer and cider in the UK in the first half of the year as economic weakness and low consumer confidence hit sales.

BROADCAST revenues between 2014 and 2016 for the Olympic Games will exceed €2.79billion, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge confirmed in Durban yesterday.

James McAvoy is set to star in new thriller 'Trance'.

Mel C would reform with the Spice Girls if they were asked to play at the 2012 London Olympics.