IRISH SAILOR Peter O’Leary, who is at the centre of an Olympic Games betting controversy, would have contravened International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules at the 2008 Games in Beijing if he gambled on an Olympic sailing event in which he competed.
The Olympic Council of Ireland, which is investigating the allegation of O’Leary betting on a race in which he was involved, will have been informed by the IOC that regulations prohibiting athletes making bets were in place as far back as 2006. Communication from the IOC office in London confirmed yesterday that although the regulations were strengthened at a meeting in Durban, South Africa, last year, betting on an Olympic event was against IOC rules two years before the 2008 Games.
“An amendment to the IOC code of ethics was added in 2006 that forbids all participants in the Olympic Games from betting on an Olympic event,” said the IOC e-mail. “During its meeting in Durban [South Africa] on 4 July 2011, the IOC executive board approved rules concerning the prohibition on betting linked to the Olympic Games and any form of cheating affecting the course and or the results of Olympic competitions in the context of betting. These rules apply to all participants in the London 2012 Olympic Games.”
The Olympic Council of Ireland said yesterday it was “treating this matter as sub judice”. The issue concerns two bets that were allegedly placed on British sailor Iain Percy winning the gold medal in the Star class at the Beijing Games. O’Leary, who was directly competing against Percy in the race, allegedly placed two bets totalling €300 on Percy to win the gold medal.
O’Leary was a rank outsider at the time and would not have been expected to win the event or be placed in a medal position. As a rookie he had been a training partner with Percy and would have been aware of the ability of the British sailor, who was placed at odds of 12-1 to win the event. Sources close to the Irish Olympic team in London described the timing of the leaks as “malicious” and designed to “maximise damage” to the sailor, who along with his racing partner, David Burrows, came second in the first of their Olympic races yesterday in Weymouth and sixth in the second race. They are in second place overall.
