IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL Statement on the Aidan O’Mahony Case

The Irish Sports Council welcomes today's announcement by the GAA's Anti-Doping Hearings Committee in its determination in the case of Aidan O'Mahony. It commends the GAA for thorough and fair process and accepts the adjudication in full.

The Committee found that Aidan O'Mahony has committed an anti-doping rule violation. It warned and reprimanded the player, but decided not to impose a period of ineligibility.

The Committee found that, contrary to Article 2.1 of the Irish Anti-Doping Rules, the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolite, salbutamol, was found in a sample of the player's urine collected during testing at the 2008 All-Ireland Final.

Although Aidan O'Mahony has an abbreviated therapeutic use exemption which allows him to take salbutamol to a certain level, that level was exceeded by Aidan O'Mahony on the day of the All-Ireland final.

The Committee warned and reprimanded the player, but decided not to impose a period of ineligibility. This sanction was handed down under the 2009 Irish Anti-Doping Rules which applies the principle of lex mitior which allowed the Committee to hand down a sanction under the 2009 Irish Anti-Doping Rules which is more favourable to the player. The process was held under Article 8 (Disciplinary Process) of the Irish Anti-Doping Rules.

Further information

Paul McDermott
Irish Sports Council
087-6486295