Tarnished gold must be handed back

NOW that Cian O'Connor has been cleared of any deliberate wrongdoing, although he has been stripped of his Olympic gold medal from the Athens games, he should call a spade a spade and hand back the once glittering prize which is now so tarnished as to make it worthless.

Technically speaking, from the time he receives the written verdict of the International Equestrian Federation, he has a window of 30 days in which to appeal the order to return the medal won in a breathtaking display of jumping on Waterford Crystal.

And, to be fair, he would be within his rights if he were to challenge the weekend ruling.