The Irish Sports Council has told the Oireachtas Committee on Arts and Sport it will write to Cathal Lombard, the athlete who tested positive in a drugs test before the Olympics, to get back the funding it gave him this year. Mr Lombard was awarded €18,500 by the council.
The Chief Executive of the council, John Treacy, said an independent review of the performances of Irish athletes in Athens is taking place.
The findings, which will be published before the end of the year, will help with preparations for the next Olympics in Beijing in 2008.
Mr Treacy said people had to be realistic and not expect athletes to come home with a 'bag load' of medals from the Olympics. He said if the country wins two or three medals it will be doing well.
Mr Treacy also defended the Irish Sports Council drugs testing policy, saying the council will target any athlete it has a doubt about.
