No place for Marshall in Super League showdown
Their decision yesterday came after Harry Marshall relented last Friday from his vow not to ride for Ireland and made himself available. However, his about-turn came the same day as the deadline for submission of teams expired.
In a statement yesterday, the selectors welcomed Marshall’s offer, but “as team plans were so advanced, the committee has now offered Harry a place on the reserves for the team, in the event of a horse or rider dropping out through injury or illness”.
Antrim-based Marshall and fellow rider Jessica Kürten have questioned the selection process and both have said previously they would not ride with Cian O’Connor.
O’Connor is on the team for Barcelona, along with world champion Dermott Lennon, Shane Breen, Billy Twomey and Capt Shane Carey. Ireland are last in the Samsung Super League and are battling relegation. A good result, matched by a poor performance from either the Netherlands or/and Belgium is vital if Ireland are to stay in the lucrative league.
Meanwhile, Germany is to follow in Cian O’Connor’s footsteps and be forced to relinquish the gold show jumping medal it won at the Athens Olympics.
The International Court of Arbitration of Sport dismissed an appeal by Ludger Beerbaum, whose horse Goldfever III tested positive for the banned substance Betamethasone following treatment for a skin irritation. Beerbaum’s disqualification sees Germany drop to the bronze medal position, with the US taking gold and Sweden the silver.
