O'Connor B sample tests positive

O'Connor accuses enemies Stolen papers linked to drama Drugs in doping saga named

Cian O'Connor's lawyer has revealed that a blood sample from the Irish showjumper's Olympic gold medal-winning horse has tested positive.

Andrew Coonan said "minuscule amounts" of Fluphenazine and Zuclophentixol had been found in Waterford Crystal's B sample tested in New York on Monday.

Mr Coonan said the drugs had been administered by O'Connor's vet.

The finding increases the likelihood that O'Connor will be stripped of the gold medal.

Mr Coonan added that O'Connor's vet had used the human form of these drugs so the horse could be treated in a therapy pool.

The original urine sample tested positive, but the 'B' sample was stolen in bizarre circumstances last month.

The test on the 'A' urine sample showed traces of banned substances.

A statement from O'Connor said that he had been "unofficially informed" of the latest test results.

"I have always maintained that the B analysis would confirm what I have said from the start, that my horse was given a medication by my vet during therapy only, and well in advance of the Games," added O'Connor.

"The preliminary readings seem to suggest a figure of about 120 picograms of Fluphenazine which amounts to 0.00012 millionth of a gram in 1 millilitre of blood and the quantity of concentration of Zuclopenthixol amounts to 0.0005 millionth of a gram in 1 millilitre of blood.

These readings had absolutely no therapeutic or performance enhancing effect on my horse at the Games Cian O'Connor

"To put it in context this is approximately one billion times less than the present drink driving limit in Ireland.

"This corroborates my explanation that the horse had been given a sedative by my vet well in advance of the Olympic Games in Athens.

"These readings are so minute that they confirm what I have said throughout this matter, that they had absolutely no therapeutic or performance enhancing effect on my horse at the Games themselves."

O'Connor's statement also spoke about the circumstances of the positive test which another of his horses ABC Landliebe, produced at an event in Rome in May.

The Irishman attributed ABC Landliebe's positive test to treatment for a suspected bout of colic in May and further treatment from vet James Sheeran in April.

In an accompanying statement, veterinarian James Sheeran said Waterford Crystal suffered a fetlock injury a month before the Olympics and was confined in a hydrotherapy unit.

He said he decided to use human anti-psychotic drugs because they had "a calming effect without making him unsteady on his feet, as equine medicines would".

Both O'Connor and Sheeran previously emphasized they had thought the sedatives would work their way out of the horse's system within two weeks.

The international federation, known as FEI, sent Waterford Crystal's B urine sample to an English lab for testing last month but the specimen was stolen on 21 October by someone misrepresenting himself to a courier company at the gate of the lab.

The day after the FEI announced the theft, burglars ransacked the headquarters of the Irish Equestrian Federation and stole documents on the doping allegations facing O'Connor.

Following the positive B test, the International Equestrian Federation will now have to adjudicate on the case but it's clear that O'Connor's hopes of holding onto the gold medal are in serious jeopardy.