Rio Olympics
After months of build-up dominated by doping scandals and the Zika virus, the 2016 Rio Olympics can finally let the Games take centre place today with a lavish opening ceremony set to begin around midnight Irish time.
Well, that was the case. That was until news emerged yesterday that an Irish boxer had been caught up in the first failed drugs test of the Games. Michael O’Reilly was tested in Ireland before travelling to Brazil and a banned substance was found to be in his system.
The Irish Amateur Boxing Association have since suspended O’Reilly as he waits to hear his fate in the next 24 hours. Johnny Watterson reports from Rio.
Also reporting from Rio, Ian O’Riordan looks back on the history of Irish doping at the Olympics.
“The timing of it all isn’t helped either by the fact it’s come on the back of some fresh recollections from our most damaging Olympic doping scandal of all, the 20th anniversary of the still disturbing ripples of suspicion that Michelle de Bruin caused in the swimming pool during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, winning more individual gold medals at those Atlanta Olympics than any other athlete from any nation, in any sport.”
Also in Rio, Keith Duggan writes about the Olympic ritual of the US basketball team taking their bow in the host city the day before the Games to speak about how nothing less than a gold medal is expected of them.
Soccer
Dundalk will this morning find out who they will face in the final qualifying round of the Champions League when the draw is made at 11am. Celtic, Legia Warsaw, Apoel Nicosia, Viktoria Plzen or FC Salzburg will travel to play Stephen Kenny’s side in a game the FAI yesterday confirmed will take place at the Aviva Stadium.
Meanwhile Cork City’s Europa League adventure came to an end last night as they suffered a 3-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of KRC Genk.
In English soccer José Mourinho should be sent to prison over his treatment of Bastian Schweinsteiger, according to a member of world players’ union FifPro.
Dejan Stefanovic, a lawyer and FifPro member from Slovenia, told BBC World Service Sport: “It’s clear bullying. In Slovenia, we would have indicted Mourinho and asked for the highest penalty – three years in prison.”
GAA
Seán Moran reflects on yesterday’s news of a revamped football championship structure. Past experience looks to suggest that there is no guarantee GAA Congress will agree.
“There is some irony in the fact within the last year, months of consultation on the issue of championship reform elicited nearly 20 separate proposals, which reduced to just one being sent forward by Central Council to last February’s congress.
“That idea of a secondary or B championship was dead before it arrived in Carlow and was simply withdrawn without further debate. So it’s striking that within six months, a comprehensive overhaul of the later stages of the football championship should be on the table for congress,” he writes.
The reaction to proposals has been mixed wirth Fermanagh coach Pete McGrath not convinced at all by it.
Meanwhile, John Allen writes that Waterford can spring a surprise against Kilkenny on Sunday if they alter their approach somewhat.
Rugby
John O’Sullivan speaks to Felix Jones about how he is embracing his new coaching role at Munster.
“I wouldn’t say it was an easy decision. It was something that I really had to consider for a while. Even after I immediately retired it was very difficult still. On one occasion Johne Murphy called down to Limerick and we said we’d all meet up,” Jones said.
Golf
Pádraig Harrington’s final preparations before his Olympic bow for Team Ireland got off to a mixed start at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut as a number of missed putts cost him what promised to be a low round.
Meanwhile, Shane Lowry rallied after a difficult start to sit five shots off the lead going into Friday’s second round.
What to watch out for
CRICKET Sky Sports 2 from 10.30am
3rd Test, D3 England v Pakistan
GOLF Sky Sports 4, noon-2pm, 4pm-7pm
Archerfield Links Paul Lawrie Match Play
SOCCER Sky Sports 1 from 7pm
(7.45) Fulham v Newcastle Utd
SOCCER eir Sport 1 from 7.30pm
(8.00) Galway Utd v Dundalk
GOLF Sky Sports 4, 8pm-11pm
River Highlands Travelers Championship
OLYMPICS BBC 1, 8.30pm-10pm
Rio Preview of 2016 Games
OLYMPICS RTE 2, 11.30pm-3.05am
BBC 1, 11.40pm-4am
Rio Opening Ceremony
