Cathal Lombard officially suspended for two years

The Irish Olympic athlete who admitted taking performance enhancing drug EPO has been banned from the sport for two years, it was confirmed today.

Distance runner Cathal Lombard, 28, was sanctioned for breaking Irish Anti-Doping Rules after testing positive for the banned substance in an out of competition test.

The Irish Sport Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel announced that following Lombard’s admission and acceptance that he had knowingly taken the drug the ban would be imposed under Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of the Rules.

Lombard, a solicitor from Cork, refused to comment on the decision.