Steven Donnelly Bet Against Himself At Olympic Games
Michael Conlan and Steven Donnelly have been sanctioned with a 'severe reprimand' by the International Olympic Committee after they were caught betting on Olympic boxing events.
Welterweight Donnelly placed a total of 8 bets, including two on Tuvshinbat Byambyn, whom he defeated in the round-of-16.
The Ballymena boxer explained at a hearing in Rio on August 15 that 'he had bet without intending to cheat by losing his match to win his bets, rather, winning the bets would be some compensation in the event he lost his match'.
Bantamweight Conlan didn't bet on any of his own fights but IOC documents reveal that he did put money on at least two fights in his own weight division.
Michael Conlan in Rio - ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
The recently-turned pro boxer told a hearing in Brazil on August 20 that he signed the documents stating a ban on Olympic betting 'without reading them, thus he was in fact not aware of the prohibition'.
There is no suggestion that their gambling was intended to manipulate results while both men will have to contribute to various educational programmes.
The Olympic Council of Ireland has also been sanctioned with a reprimand for not having properly informed its athletes about the content of the different rules applicable to them on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Rio.
It's not the first time an Irish athlete has been caught gambling on an Olympic event.
Irish sailor Peter O'Leary was let off with a warning after betting on a direct competitor to win at the 2008 Beijing Games.
O'Leary failed to qualify for the medal race on which he had bet and the IOC said there was no proof of any match-fixing and that the athlete was unaware he could not bet on Olympic events.