Olympic nightmare - Positive drug test tarnishes gold medal

With the news that Cian O’Connor’s gold medal winning horse tested positive for a performance enhancing drug, the whole Irish Olympic experience of the 2004 Games in Athens is beginning to look like a fiasco.

Only days before the start of the Olympics, Cathal Lombard tested positive for the drug EPO. He had the good grace to come out with his hands up and admit his guilt, but he contended that drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions in the sport.

Since then, questions have been raised about many high-profile athletes, and the Games were somewhat marred by incidents surrounding the failure of the two most famous Greek sprinters to show up for a drugs test. There was also a rash of drug disqualifications, especially in weightlifting and some of the throwing events.