Athletes’ hopes hang in the balance

The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) will this morning announce the outcome of Catriona Cuddihy’s appeal over her demotion from the women’s 4x400m relay team for the Olympic Games in London.

The OCI had planned to reveal the result of their deliberations yesterday but delayed doing so last night while a number of administrative boxes were ticked and the parties involved informed.

Cuddihy was originally named on the six-strong relay team and appeared at the OCI’s official Team Ireland launch in Dublin before she was replaced by Joanna Mills, who launched a successful appeal with the Athletics Association of Ireland.

Cuddihy, whose sister Joanne is one of the key members of the 4x400m squad, subsequently announced her intention to appeal that decision to the OCI and the body established a three-person tribunal to deliver a definitive verdict on the matter.

The hearing was held last Thursday and both athletes’ names were entered into the Olympic Games registration system, with one to be subsequently withdrawn.

The women’s Olympic 4x400m relay heats will take place on August 10.