MARC Ó SÉ says he had no idea Kerry team-mate Brendan O’Sullivan had failed a drugs test until the story broke over the weekend.
The Sunday Independent reported that an inter-county footballer had failed a routine drugs test and it subsequently emerged that it was Kingdom fringe player O’Sullivan after the Kerry County Board issued a statement.
O’Sullivan tested positive for stimulant methylhexaneamine (MHA) after the 2016 league final against Dublin and eventually served two suspensions totalling 21 weeks.
Sport Ireland claimed the Kerry player “bore no significant fault or negligence”, ruling that the violation was not intentional.
Speaking to Matt Cooper on Today FM’s The Last Word, Ó Sé, who also played in the 2016 defeat to the Dubs, claimed he was unaware of the disciplinary proceedings until Kerry released the statement.
“I had no idea that this was going on,” Ó Sé said yesterday evening.
“We had no idea that Brendan O’Sullivan had tested positive, the first I heard of it was this weekend.
“What I’m led to believe, the reason that this didn’t come out until now is that Brendan appealed the case and there were a few different appeals that went in and this only concluded recently.”
Ó Sé, who retired from inter-county football last October, went on to vouch for O’Sullivan’s character and also said he had not come across doping in the GAA.
“I haven’t come across it [doping] yet.
“Is Brendan guilty of something? He is. He’s guilty that he didn’t follow the rules and he wasn’t checking things up online and making sure he was adhering to the rules.
“I know Brendan O’Sullivan, he’s a good lad. He’d never get himself knowingly into trouble.
“All these players are taking supplements, he possibly took a supplement that maybe he shouldn’t have.
“He didn’t intentionally cheat and that’s very important. At the end of the day this fella is an amateur. The rule violation wasn’t intended so he didn’t go out knowingly to get an advantage.”
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The Sport Ireland statement is a strange one “he bore no significant fault or negligence”- While I’d doubt he intentionally took the substance it was most definitely negligent not to check with the team nutritionist if the substance was legal or not
Brendan O Sullivan got off lightly. Would the sports council have been so lenient if he was an athlete or cyclist.
No one forced O Sullivan to take the illegal supplement. It was the height of stupidly not to check with the team doctor.
As for Marc O Se to say he was unaware of O Sullivan’s use of an illegal supplement. Did he never ask where’s Brendan?
@Diarmuid: the banned substance was not in a supplement but in a sports drink, similar to Lucozade sport. That’s why he got off so lightly
Kimmage will be all over this like a rash. “Now hang on Joe! This is important!”
@Marks Awarded: he was on the same time as O Se and you’re correct. That’s exactly how it went
OSullivan had no idea what he took, it was in a drink. I believe that.
What I dont believe is Marc O’Se saying he had no idea, thats bullsh!t.
But fair play to the Kerry boys for closing ranks and keeping this quite. Best of luck to anyone who can beat these, that sort of loyalty and respect is hard to beat!!
Imagine if this was Diarmuid Connolly or another Dublin player.. Ud have fools tarnishing they’re All Ireland wins .. If its Kerry its ok just a mistake
Kerry didn’t win an AIl Ireland last year.