The showjumping fraternity around the world are this evening in a daze wondering where their sport is going as Cian O'Connor takes the step of announcing the results of the B sample blood which was tested in New York.

Cian made the decision to make the announcement rather than wait for the "official word" from the FEI and EFI.

The result of the B sample blood shows the same result as the Postive A sample and the banned substances Fluphenazine and Zuclophentixol were found in the blood sample as well as the original urine sample.

Cian O'Connor said in his statement today that he had been "unofficially informed" of the latest test results.

"I have always maintained that the B analysis would confirm what I have said from the start, that my horse was given a medication by

my vet during therapy only, and well in advance of the Games," added O'Connor.

"The preliminary readings seem to suggest a figure of about 120 picograms of Fluphenazine which amounts to 0.00012 millionth of a gram in 1 millilitre of blood and the quantity of concentration of Zuclopenthixol amounts to 0.0005 millionth of a gram in 1 millilitre of blood.

"To put it in context this is approximately one billion times less than the present drink driving limit in Ireland.

"This corroborates my explanation that the horse had been given a sedative by my vet well in advance of the Olympic Games in Athens.

"These readings are so minute that they confirm what I have said throughout this matter, that they had absolutely no therapeutic or performance enhancing effect on my horse at the Games themselves."

What needs to be remembered, however, is that no matter how small the amounts were the substances are banned for the use in horses and the FEI issued a statement some months ago stating that these drugs were not permitted for horses as they were used to influence the performance of hot horses.

The are many approved sedatives which could have been used in the circumstances described by Cian O'Connor and his vet James Sheeran and one can only wonder as to why the decision was made to use human schizophrenia drugs instead - hopefully in the coming days we will all know the answer to this question.

In, as yet unconfirmed, discussion regarding these drugs there is talk that they do deteriorate in the blood sample over time and the blood sample is now some 10 weeks old and so had they been tested immediately there is the strong possibility that the readings would have been far higher.

The whole sad mess is not good for showjumping and no doubt riders associations around the world will now band together to try and work ways of cleaning up the sport and proving to sponsors and owners that this bizarre sequence of events are not normal and that the sport is one worth continuing with - and I must say that the ones I feel sorry for right now are Rodrigo Pessoa who will take the Gold medal, should O'Connor lose it after FEI deliberation and Chris Kappler will move into Silver position with Marco Kutscher taking Bronze - this is no way to win medals and the whole sorry mess must still be cleaned up and the public questions must be answered for things to move ahead.

The stolen B sample urine, the break in at the EFI offices are just two of the things which must be cleared up for everyone's sake. Cian O'Connor has made allegations that there are "people out to discredit him through jealousy" and he needs to clarify who he is referring to and those responsible for the the theft and break in must be found - then, and only then can the matter rest and showjumping be allowed to rebuild it's reputation.

Cian was competing at the Leinster Indoor Horse Championships this past weekend and is listed to start at the Cavan International Show which begins Wednesday, 10th November, 2004 - no doubt the media feeding frenzy will again be on there regardless of whether Cian does compete or not.