O'Connor defiant after second horse tests positive

Olympic gold medallist Cian O'Connor has vehemently denied any wrongdoing relating to the alleged doping charges faced by him…

Olympic gold medallist Cian O'Connor has vehemently denied any wrongdoing relating to the alleged doping charges faced by him after two of his horses tested positive for illegal substances.

Speaking on RTÉ radio Mr O'Connor said that he was being as open as possible with regards to the investigation.

Mr O'Connor responded "absolutely not" when asked if he had cheated, and said he has "nothing to hide".

There was renewed controversy last night when it emerged that a second horse, ABC Landliebe, on which Mr O'Connor had competed in Italy, had tested positive for the same sedative found in a sample from Olympic champion Waterford Crystal.

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However, Mr O'Connor insists that no malice was involved.

"I have been competing internationally for past seven years and I have never had a hassle with the medication control programmes," said Mr O'Connor.

"I came forward . . . I wanted to put the story out there as it is," said Mr O'Connor. "I have nothing to hide.  I have pushed for four years solid to try and [gain] good publicity for the sport and for myself.  I am not going to run from anybody now and I am willing to stand up and talk to the press."

Mr O'Connor was joined on the show by vet, James Shearon, who reiterated that he believed the jockey was "second to none" when it came to caring for his horses.

Mr Shearon said that the sedative found in both samples was a "widely used drug" but he refused to name it while it was under investigation.

"The horse did not get a substance for performance enhancing," said Mr Shearon.  "This was medication that happened as a result of an injury.  It was part of the management of an injury."

The injury in question was back pain according to Mr Shearon.

Mr O'Connor is facing a fight to hold onto his gold medal after a second sample taken from Waterford Crystal is officially sent for confirmatory analysis.