Morale remains high in Irish Olympic camp
The majority of the Irish delegation are set to arrive in the Greek capital over the next two days in preparation for Friday night's opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium.
Chef de Mission William O'Brien stressed yesterday that morale was high in the camp despite the happenings of the past 48 hours.
"Everyone on the team is in excellent spirits and the general mood is optimistic and upbeat," he said.
"Yesterday's news had absolutely no negative effects on the team because everyone is fully focused on the sporting challenges ahead."
He claimed the victories of Fermanagh and Mayo over Armagh and Tyrone respectively in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals were the chief talking point for Irish Olympians this weekend.
"The main talking points with the team have been the extraordinary GAA result from the weekend - the doping issue was a ten minute wonder.
"The bulk of the track & field squad is now based at our Pre-Olympic camp in Cyprus where the facilities and medical support have been the best ever provided for an Irish Olympic team.
"In the Olympic Village, accommodation and facilities are equally good. Training is going extremely well, despite very high temperatures."
The Irish team's psychologist Niamh Fitzpatrick agreed with those sentiments and described the squad "as happy and fully committed."
"The mood is really positive and all the athletes are calm, relaxed and focused on the task ahead.
"It is a happy, fully committed squad that will do Ireland proud."
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