alt A DWAIN CHAMBERS-TYPE drugs row over Olympic selection is brewing in Ireland.

 

It concerns Cathal Lombard, a distance runner who was banned on the eve of the Olympics in Athens four years ago when he tested positive for the banned blood-boosting drug EPO and was suspended for two years ago.

 

Lombard shocked most experts in the sport in Ireland at the weekend when he won the National Cross Country Championships and now the fear is that he will achieve the Olympic qualifying time of 2 hours 15 minutes at the Rotterdam Marathon next month and qualify for the Beijing Games.

 

Unlike the British Olympic Association, the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) does not have a rule that prevents it from picking convicted drugs cheats for its team.

 

OCI spokesman Jack McGouran said the body would take "high-level legal consultations straight away".

 

He said: "It's an issue we didn't expect to arise.

 

"We weren't getting any indication from Athletics Ireland that the athlete (Lombard) was in the frame for selection.

 

"We do consult a lot with Athletics Ireland (AAI) on these things to see who is coming through."

 

McGouran addmited that OCI rules "don't really cover" the issue surrounding Lombard's possible qualification for this year's Olympics.

 

"If he gets the A standard, it would be very difficult for Athletics Ireland to not (nominate him) because he could sue them and there is a legal thing hanging over all of this.

 

 

 

 

"It's a very grey area so that's why we will be taking high-level legal consultations on this one and we will be doing that straight away.

 

 

 

"It wasn't on the horizon in our last discussions with the AAI but we might as well address it now because it will be an issue that will develop in the future."

 

 

 

McGouran insisted that there would be "no pre-conceptions" about the issue in advance of the OCI getting its legal advice.

 

 

 

He said: "For us and a lot of Olympic federations around Europe, we are all looking at this issue more closely."

 

 

 

Patsy McGonagle, the AAI team manager, defended  Lombard.

 

He said: "The situation now is that he has served his ban, he has served his time and he now is coming back although he's not going to the World Cross."

 

Lombard's cross country victory was greeted by scarcely any applause among spectators attending the event. 

 

"I wouldn't have anything to say about it," said Lombard, responding to the observation that many would judge his victory as a bad day for Irish athletics.

 

Vinny Mulvey, the 2006 winner, pointedly ignored Lombard on the podium.

 

He said: "I've respect for every other athlete but not him.

 

"My view is (if) you get done for drugs you should get done for life; you shouldn't be able to make a comeback.

 

"There's people who'll say, 'Ah, water under the bridge' but it's my view you can't trust someone like that."