Illegal Betting Charges Dismissed Against Olympian Peter O’Leary

Irish Olympian Peter O’Leary has gotten off the hook and will avoid an Olympic ban in 2016, after charges were dismissed in regards to his placing a bet on a British competitor in the 2008 Olympics that won him €3,600.  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched an investigation into the unorthodox bet shortly after the opening ceremonies at the London Olympics earlier this year.  After four months of investigation, the IOC ruled that O’Leary’s behaviour was wrong and ignorant but there was no evidence he engaged in any form of match-fixing, which the IOC board ruled are grounds to dismiss the charges.

“It is not something we agree with and we condemn it, but we will not take any more action,” IOC spokesman Mark Adams said in a statement.

The investigation involved O’Leary’s decision to place two bets totaling €300 on the British boat to win the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics, after his boat failed to qualify for the final event.  The IOC had only begun educating its athletes in Beijing on how sportsbetting could compromise the integrity of the Olympics, which the board says contributed to the decision to let O’Leary off with a slap on the wrist.  They said had the bets been made during the 2012 London Olympics, the odds would be far higher O’Leary would face a lifetime ban from competing in anymore Olympic events.

O’Leary has publicly said he was unaware he violated any laws by placing the bet and had he known it was illegal, he would have thought twice before placing the bet.  His admission of wrongdoing also helped to dismiss the charges against him.

O’Leary’s case warns other athletes to avoid making any bets on Olympic matches, for the IOC has warned future instances of illegal gambling will result in greater reprehensible charges.