The Irish athlete at the centre of an Olympic doping scandal arrived back in Ireland late last night and will formally respond today to his positive test for performance enhancing drug EPO, write Ian O'Riordan and Barry Roche.
Cathal Lombard arrived in Cork Airport at 9.30 p.m. but refused to comment to waiting media. Lombard arrived from Stansted, having earlier made his way from northern Italy where he had been training at altitude for this month's Olympics in Greece.
He was met from the flight by a family member. Lombard was escorted out of the the terminal building by airport police backed up by members of the gardaí.
He has agreed to meet officials from Athletics Ireland today to answer formally the charge of his failed drugs test, which was carried out in Switzerland last month while the athlete was training at St Moritz.
Lombard (28) was informed on Saturday that a test had revealed traces of the substance erythropoietin (EPO), one of the more widely abused drugs in endurance sports.
His use of the substance was condemned yesterday by his coach, fellow athletes and politicians.
Cavan coach Joe Doonan said he felt "sick and bewildered at the apparent dishonesty" and also felt "betrayed at the revelations".
Doonan began coaching Lombard two years ago. The athlete had indicated that the EPO was entirely self-administered.
"I never have or never would suggest to an athlete that they use drugs as a way to improve their performances, nor would I condone their use in any way", Doonan said. "I was rendered speechless when I heard the news about the positive test for EPO."
Fellow Cork distance runner Mark Carroll, who is finalising his preparations for the 5,000 metres at the Athens Olympics, was the athlete who saw his national 10,000 metre record improved in such dramatic fashion by Lombard earlier this season.
"I don't accept whatsoever Cathal's reasoning that he took EPO to level the playing field," said Carroll, currently training in Austria. "In Cathal's case I don't think it was about levelling the playing field, it was about reaching the playing field."
Carroll also said that question marks had long surrounded Lombard's breakthrough.
Meanwhile, the Irish Sports Council confirmed that it had targeted Lombard for special testing in light of his recent breakthroughs. Dr Una May, head of the anti-doping unit, was confident it was an isolated case of an athlete cheating in Irish sport.
"All along we've had to be aware that Ireland is not immune from the problem," said Dr May. "But I certainly don't think we have a big problem in this country. It is very much the exception rather than the rule."
The Minister for Sport, Mr O'Donoghue, said Lombard "dishonoured" the Olympic tradition by taking an illegal drug in his preparations for the games. He said it was demoralising and disillusioning. "To say the least it's very unfortunate on the eve of the Olympics in Athens - their return home - that an Irish athlete should be found to be dishonouring the Olympian ideal."