Lombard must return grant

Lombard had been scheduled to compete in the 10,000m in Athens

Banned runner Cathal Lombard has been asked to return a grant of over £12,000 he received from the Irish Sports Council earlier this year.

Lombard was handed a two-year after testing positive for the blood-boosting product EPO in an out of competition test in July.

The Corkman later acknowledged that he had taken the banned substance.

Sports Council chief executive John Treacy said on Wednesday that it had asked Lombard to return the money.

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Treacy made the revelation during a meeting with officials from the Irish parliament's Committee on Arts and Sport and added that the Irish Sports Council would target any athlete it had a doubt about.

He said that the findings from an independent review of Irish performances at the Olympic Games in Athens would be published before the end of this year.