Rio 2016 Olympics: Irish boxer fails drugs test

The opening ceremony for the Rio 2016 Olympics takes place on Friday

An Irish boxer has failed a drugs test in the build-up to the Rio Olympics.

The Olympic Council of Ireland said the fighter is provisionally suspended from competition after an "adverse analytical" finding in an A-sample.

"The athlete will now decide whether to accept a sanction for a doping violation, to request that a B-sample be tested, or to appeal the provisional suspension," it added.

"The finding relates to a test not conducted at the 2016 Olympic Games."

The council stated that the Sport Ireland Anti-Doping Agency "has returned an adverse analytical finding in an A sample provided to anti-doping officers".

An Irish Athletic Boxing Association statement said it had been notified by Sport Ireland of an "alleged violation" by one of its high-performance boxers.

The boxer has not been named officially, but is believed to a member of Ireland's eight-strong Olympic team.

The association added that it has "always maintained a zero tolerance approach to doping".

"Irish Boxing has been one of the most widely tested sports by the National Anti-Doping Programme over the last number of years," it said.

"We ensure our boxers are available for testing in and out of competition.

"The Irish Athletic Boxing Association will not be in a position to comment further until all elements of due process associated with the anti-doping programme are completed in this case."

Ireland have won 16 of their 29 Olympic medals in boxing, making it their most successful sport at the Games.