ATHLETICS: The ruling body of athletics (IAAF) said yesterday it had been informed in 1988 there had been eight positive dope tests at the US Olympic trials for ephedrine and ephedrine-related compounds.

But in a statement aimed at calming a controversy over allegations of a US Olympic Committee cover-up, the IAAF said the athletes, who are unnamed with the exception of multiple gold medallist Carl Lewis, had been eligible to compete at the 1988 Olympic Games.

The banned substances had been present "in low concentration", the IAAF said. Ephedrine is a banned stimulant.

"The IAAF Medical Committee felt satisfied . . . on the basis of the information received that the cases had been properly concluded by the USOC as "negative cases" in accordance with rules and regulations in place at the time and no further action was taken," the IAAF said.

"For this reason, the athletes concerned who achieved the necessary qualification performances at the 1988 US Olympic trials and who went on to compete at the Olympic Games in Seoul were eligible to do so in accordance with IAAF Rules."

Documents released in the US in mid-April suggested that 19 Olympic medallists failed drug tests between 1988 and 2000 but were allowed to continue competing at the top level.

Meanwhile, Lewis was charged with a misdemeanour drunken driving offence in Los Angeles yesterday by the city attorney's office.

The 41-year-old athletics legend was arrested April 21st by the California Highway Patrol after crashing his new Maserati into a sound-barrier wall off a major freeway.

Lewis is scheduled to be arraigned on July 2nd.

EQUESTRIAN: Trish Donegan, a member of Ireland's teams at both the Sydney Olympic and last year's World Equestrian Games in Jerez, has had a shaky run-up to her debut at Badminton, writes Grania Willis.

Twelve months ago she was scratched from the startlist when her ride for Joe Savage, Don't Step Back, suffered a minor injury. This time round the horse is fighting fit, but his 29-year-old jockey was struck down by a mystery virus a fortnight ago and is still shaking off the after-effects.

"I'm close to 100 per cent now", Donegan said at a rain-soaked Badminton yesterday, "but this weather doesn't help". The health of the Bandon jockey is undoubtedly improving daily, but she'll need every ounce of strength to anchor the huge striding grey across country on Saturday, particularly as Hugh Thomas's 32-fence track includes some serious questions that will require accuracy and, most importantly, a horse that stays on a line.

Donegan is joined in the first-timer stakes by Meath rider Edmond Gibney, who has also had a less than perfect build-up to the big one. Having broken a wrist before the start of the season, he then switched yards and countries when moving to England where he is now based with Charlotte Bathe in Cambridgeshire.

But plans to drive down to Badminton on Tuesday were thwarted when his lorry broke down and the 28-year-old then had to leave the yard in Huntingdon at 5 a.m. yesterday and only just made the 9 a.m. deadline for arrivals.

Gibney is riding Grainne Ward's 11-year-old Kings Highway, a thoroughbred son of Rising that went brilliantly at the Blenheim three-star last autumn to finish ninth. The next notch up to four-star is a giant step and Gibney, determined as always, acknowledges that the cross-country is big.

"It'll take every bit of riding you can give it", he said yesterday.

Following the last-minute withdrawals of Virginia McGrath's The Yellow Earl and Mark Kyle with Drunken Disorderly, Don't Step Back and Kings Highway are the only Irish runners.

COLLEGES GAA: Knockbeg College put in a convincing second half performance to claim the Leinster Colleges senior B football championship final 0-15 to 1-6 against Colaiste Phadraig, Lucan at Newbridge yesterday.

David Farren gave the Dublin school an early lead but Willie Murphy replied for Knockbeg and the sides were level four times in the opening half. Knockbeg pulled clear with three successive scores to lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at half-time.

SCORERS: Knockbeg: D Brennan (0-5 1f), S Murphy (0-3 1f), W Murphy (0-3 1f), J Tierney, D Conway, B Maguire, C Fleming (0-1 each).

Colaiste Phadraig: P Faughnan (1-2, 1-0 pen 2f), D Farren (0-2), K Ward and A Glennon (0-1 each).