Olympic dope test positive

Olympic showjumper Cian O’Connor could lose Ireland’s only gold medal from the Athens Games after a second blood sample from his horse tested positive for banned substances.

Waterford Crystal was found to have traces of banned drugs in its first urine sample.

Controversy erupted last month when part of the second sample was stolen from a laboratory at Newmarket in bizarre circumstances.

But the blood part of the sample remained intact and was tested at a top US equestrian laboratory in New York.

Mr O’Connor, who won the individual showjumping gold in August, confirmed tonight that the B sample had tested positive for two banned substances.

He is due to release a statement later. He has protested his innocence throughout the affair.