IABA and ISC uphold ban on Sweeney

European youth boxing silver medallist Gary Sweeney’s appeal against a nine-month ban for a doping offence was rejected yesterday, while his coach Martin Sweeney was suspended for 27 months for providing the 18-year-old with a prohibited substance.

Gary Sweeney tested positive for the presence of a prohibited substance during in-competition testing last October and was banned for nine months.

He appealed the severity of the ban but a hearing has found his punishment was “an appropriate sanction’’.