GAA player in positive drug test

The GAA has confirmed that a sample recently provided by one of its players has tested positive for the use of the banned drug Salbutamol.

Salbutamol is a widely-used treatment for asthma through an inhaler but players are only allowed to take the drug under controlled guidelines.

It was found that there was an adverse finding regarding the use of the substance.

It is believed that the player is Kerry footballer Aidan O'Mahony.

In accordance with the provisions of the Irish Anti-Doping Rules, the GAA are obliged to provisionally suspend the player involved pending the outcome of a hearing of the Anti-Doping Hearings Committee.

A date for this meeting has not yet been scheduled.

The finding will require the player to show that the result was the consequence of the therapeutic use of inhaled Salbutamol.

Ireland rugby player Frankie Sheahan had a similar problem with Salbutamol five years ago and had a two-year ban slapped on him.

However, the ban was reduced to three months on appeal when the Munster hooker claimed he had forgotten to properly inform authorities that he was using a Ventolin inhaler to combat his asthma.