The Irish Athletic Boxing Association have responded to comments made yesterday by Team Ireland coach John Conlan in relation to Michael O’Reilly.

Conlan claimed that O’Reilly was absent from the Irish training camp for eight weeks before heading to Rio.

But the IABA confirmed that he had three weeks with his club in Portlaoise after coming home from the Olympic Qualification competition in Baku with a knuckle injury and flu.

Last week, O’Reilly released a statement in which he admitted to unintentionally taking a supplement which led to him failing a drug test prior to the Games.

“This has been a very difficult two weeks for Irish boxing,” Conlan said yesterday.

“It has embarrassed us as a team. He embarrassed Irish boxing and brought a terrible thing to Irish boxing.”