Olympics hope Lombard faces possible drugs ban

Irish distance runner Cathal Lombard will explain to officials tomorrow why he has tested positive for the banned drug EPO.

Athletics Ireland are likely to axe Lombard from competing in the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres at the Olympic Games if he cannot give a reasonable excuse.

Lombard, 28, a solicitor from Cork, would also face a two-year suspension from the sport if found guilty.

He holds the Irish 10,000m record and was heralded as one of Ireland’s hottest chances for a medal in the Games.

He is training near Pisa in Italy and was due to travel from his camp there to Athens but will now head back to Ireland tomorrow.

Athletics Ireland spokesman Mr Patsy McGonagle said he had been in touch with the athlete and would wait until he reports to the association next week before commenting further.

EPO, or erythropoietin, is a performance enhancing substance that increases endurance by boosting the production of oxygen-rich red blood cells in the body.

Irish Olympic press attaché Jack MacGowran confirmed the Irish Sports Council had discovered a positive test.

Mr MacGowran said: “The Irish sports council have come across an EPO positive for him.

“They informed his federation a couple of days ago. He will be asked to explain himself on Monday. He will be given 24 hours to come up with a response and if he doesn’t do that he will not be in the Irish Olympic team.”

Mr McGonagle said the news was “very disappointing” and would have huge ramifications for the sport’s reputation in Ireland.

“It will reflect incredibly badly on the sport of athletics and will hang a cloud over the rest of the team,” he said.

The news could spell huge disappointment for the small Irish team and particularly the 15-strong athletics squad.

With just days to go before the competition begins, Irish competitors are spread across many different training camps including Seville in Spain, France and Croatia.

The Irish Sports Council developed a set of anti-doping rules especially to ensure that Ireland’s system was fully compliant with international codes prior to the Athens Olympics.

Lombard has made remarkable progress over the last 18 months.

He set an Irish record for 10,000m this year when he finished third in the BUPA Great Manchester run.

The Irish 5000m champion set a personal best in that distance when he finished fifth in Heusden, Belgium last year.

Lombard said last year that his dramatic improvement was down to being able to train full-time and working with Joe Doonan, the former coach of 1998 London Marathon winner Catherina McKiernan.

It was confirmed that no one will replace Lombard if he is suspended from the team.