THE IRISH ATHLETIC Boxing Association (IABA) have moved to clarify the whereabouts of Michael O’Reilly in the lead up to the Rio Olympics.
A statement released by the association today reads as follows:
“The Irish Athletic Boxing Association can confirm that Michael O’Reilly was with the Irish Boxing Team in Baku, Azerbailjan from 2nd to 26th June partaking in both a pre-competition camp and the Olympic Qualification Competition.
“On his return home from Azerbaijan Michael had a knuckle injury and also had the flu. He trained at his local club, Portlaoise Boxing Club during this period and joined up with the team when they departed for the pre-Olympic Rio Training camp on July 19th.”
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RTÉ’s boxing pundits had previously questioned claims that Michael O’Reilly had not been in camp for eight weeks in the build up to Rio.
The Irish athlete, who missed the Olympic Games after failing a drugs test had “embarrassed” the Irish boxing team with his actions, according to coach John Conlan.
In his interview yesterday with RTÉ, Conlan added that O’Reilly “hadn’t been with us for eight weeks. We met him at the airport. And it was a big shock to the team.”
However, speaking on RTÉ television today, both pundits Bernard Dunne and Mick Dowling played down claims that the boxer had been absent for that length of time.
Dunne commented: “I think that one is wrong because Michael O’Reilly was in camp out in Azerbaijan. He qualified out there at the end of June and then the team went away on the 19 July to Brazil. So there is only really a two-week period where they are not around each other.
“He probably phrased it or said it wrong, because it’s not true.”
Fellow panellist and boxer Kellie Harrington said O’Reilly had been “in and out” of the High Performance unit, while Dowling added:
Either John Conlan was wrong or he was caught on the hop. I find it impossible to believe that Michael could be gone missing for six weeks. Perhaps the IABA will take us all out of our misery and tell us that John made an incorrect statement.
“The IABA should be telling us that ‘it is not correct and we were quite happy with everything about his preparations.’”
IABA clarify whereabouts of Michael O'Reilly in lead up to Rio Olympics
Updated at 18.30
THE IRISH ATHLETIC Boxing Association (IABA) have moved to clarify the whereabouts of Michael O’Reilly in the lead up to the Rio Olympics.
A statement released by the association today reads as follows:
“The Irish Athletic Boxing Association can confirm that Michael O’Reilly was with the Irish Boxing Team in Baku, Azerbailjan from 2nd to 26th June partaking in both a pre-competition camp and the Olympic Qualification Competition.
“On his return home from Azerbaijan Michael had a knuckle injury and also had the flu. He trained at his local club, Portlaoise Boxing Club during this period and joined up with the team when they departed for the pre-Olympic Rio Training camp on July 19th.”
RTÉ’s boxing pundits had previously questioned claims that Michael O’Reilly had not been in camp for eight weeks in the build up to Rio.
The Irish athlete, who missed the Olympic Games after failing a drugs test had “embarrassed” the Irish boxing team with his actions, according to coach John Conlan.
In his interview yesterday with RTÉ, Conlan added that O’Reilly “hadn’t been with us for eight weeks. We met him at the airport. And it was a big shock to the team.”
However, speaking on RTÉ television today, both pundits Bernard Dunne and Mick Dowling played down claims that the boxer had been absent for that length of time.
Dunne commented: “I think that one is wrong because Michael O’Reilly was in camp out in Azerbaijan. He qualified out there at the end of June and then the team went away on the 19 July to Brazil. So there is only really a two-week period where they are not around each other.
“He probably phrased it or said it wrong, because it’s not true.”
Fellow panellist and boxer Kellie Harrington said O’Reilly had been “in and out” of the High Performance unit, while Dowling added:
“The IABA should be telling us that ‘it is not correct and we were quite happy with everything about his preparations.’”
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