Show jumping and Cian O'Connor

[OwlsFan]

Harry Marshall, controversially dropped from Friday's Aga Khan Cup team, reignited the simmering feud in the Irish show jumping camp by stating last night that he would never ride on a team with Cian O'Connor and calling for the resignation of the entire selection panel.

I don't really follow the sport so I'm not sure of the full story. The question appears to be should Cian O'Connor be representing Ireland after his horse was caught cheating.

I don't think he should just as all those caught should serve life time bans.

[tiktok]

O'Connor wasn't popular within showjumping circles to begin with. He was pretty much cleared of wrongdoing, so it's obvious though that his team-mates don't believe he's innocent for other reasons.

[pete]

I don't know much about O'Connor but he has a bad manner about him. Very defensive in nature & doesn't look so innocent.

I can't remember what happened with the horses urine but why did he only get 3 month ban?

From what i've read can't see how he not get 2 year ban as seemed fairly clear he cheated.

[the 12 th man]

afaik,
he was cleared of "intentional" wrong doing regarding the horse's feed/medication but it leaves a "grey area" in the situation.

[patsh]

As Tiktok said, the people involved with showjumping know more about this, and O'Connor appears to be controversial figure, and disliked by quite a few. I think it may be more than simple jealousy......

[pete]

afaik,
he was cleared of "intentional" wrong doing regarding the horse's feed/medication but it leaves a "grey area" in the situation.

I thought WADA had removed the "i didnt know what i was doing" excuse now. 2 year ban for breaking rules even if you didn't intend to...?

Didn't the horse have human drugs in his system?

[Aberdonian Stu]

The "i didn't know what I was doing" hasn't been allowed for some time, in fact I can't recall it being allowed.

The TUE (see other thread) removes that excuse. As it was O'Connor's horse and not him there was a difference in the matter as they had declared use via TUE but the substance was still in the horses system at a point where it should not (and by that I mean there has NEVER been a recorded case) be in the system anymore hence it's violation of the TUE.

Also the substance in question wasn't fully exempt, the substance could be used but the horse could not compete while it was in its system as it was deemed performance enhancing.

Genuine stupidity, which with all due respect is what anyone competing at that level that innocently gets caught is guilty of, can be taken into account and thus that would lead to a reduced sentence on grounds of unintentional wrongdoing.

I usually take a hard line stance on drug issues, but that is tempered by accepting the rules as they are.

Just because I, or anyone else for that matter, might prefer that O'Connor doesn't represent Ireland again doesn't mean that he shouldn't be allowed. He has served his time, so to speak, and just because the sentence may be considered lenient by some it still remains the rule.

Therefore I would actually say that the others should lump it and accept that is the way it is.

[pete]

Maybe ths show jumping authorities should be denied government funding until they clear up their own mess.

I do think athletes can take some substances unknowingly but i think they should still get 2 year ban. For this reason i'd oppose a lifetime ban although would not object to lifetime ban for 2nd offense.