Taoiseach defends O’Connor in doping scandal

OLYMPIC gold medallist Cian O’Connor is innocent until proven otherwise, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern urged yesterday.

In his first comments on the positive drugs test that threatens to strip the country of its sole medal from the Athens Games, Mr Ahern said the development was deeply disappointing.

Cian O’Connor had given great service to the country for the past seven years and for him to be drawn into the controversy must be very upsetting, he said.