Michael O’Reilly drug test shockwaves ripple in Rio

Boxing was always going to be the sport that made the headlines for the Irish in Rio but nobody expected them before the first blow was struck.

In Ireland, at least. Middleweight Michael O’Reilly’s positive drug test was a shattering blow to a team which only hours before it became public was expressing itself on top of the world.

Shell-shocked, the team hid yesterday behind the cocoon created for all competitors by the hundreds of heavily-armed guards around their highly-protected Athletes’ Village.