IABA respond to Olympic betting rumours

The IABA last night released a statement in response to rumours that two Irish boxers placed bets on an unspecified Olympic sport during the Games.

it is not believed that the boxers were gambling large amounts, or indeed gambling on boxing, but any betting by any Olympic athlete on any Olympic sport constitutes a breach of Olympic Council of Ireland rules.

The statement in full reads:

The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) has been made aware of allegations that two members of the Irish Olympic Team may have placed a bet on an event during the Rio Olympic Games.

The IABA would be very disappointed if any members of the team have engaged in a prohibited activity under the Conditions of Participation.

The IABA has not received any notification from the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) regarding this allegation but understand that the matter is under review.

For athletes participating in the Olympic Games, any form of gambling is prohibited as per the OCI’s Conditions of Participation.

Any potential disciplinary action would be undertaken by the OCI, not the IABA, as per the Conditions of Participation.

It is therefore not permissible for the IABA to comment further at this time.