Cian O'Connor

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Cián O'Connor (b. 12 November 1979, Dublin) is an Irish equestrian, educated at Belvedere College and grandson to Tony O'Reilly, who won a show jumping gold medal at the 2004 Olympics which was later stripped from him due to drugs offences. Riding his horse Waterford Crystal he became an instant national hero, being the only Irish medalist that year.

Unfortunately, success came at a hefty price. On the night of June 19th 2002, Cian's girlfriend at the time, Hazel O'Callaghan,[daughter of property tycoon, 'Owen O'Callaghan') was critically injured while trying to unload a horse from a trailer. the horse shied, throwing Hazel off the ramp of the aforementioned trailer. sadly a fortnight later, she died in Dublin's Beaumount Hospital aged 22.

However, on 8 October 2004, it emerged that Waterford Crystal had tested positive for a prohibited substance.

Components of the 'B' sample were stolen, as were documents from the Irish Equestrian Federation offices. However, the B blood sample, which was not stolen, also tested positive for prohibited, but not performance enhancing, substances, which had been prescribed to the horse some time earlier.

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) ruled that O'Connor must be stripped of his medal and he also received a three month ban from competition.

On 10 June 2005, O'Connor's solicitor filed an official waiver of appeal in the FEI which made the Judicial Committee’s decision of 23 May official.

O'Connor lost his gold medal in favor of Brazilian showjumper Rodrigo Pessoa and the Irish Show Jumping Team was disqualified by the Olympic Board. Their seventh place was inherited by the Italians.