O'Connor decides not to accept award

Irish Person of the Year award: Cian O'Connor has decided not accept this year's Irish Person of the Year award following the announcement that his Olympic horse, Waterford Crystal, has tested positive for a prohibited susbtance.

O'Connor had been chosen as the winner of the ESB/Rehab People of the Year Awards 2004 and was due to accept the title at a televised ceremony in the City West Hotel, Dublin, this evening.

His decision not to accept the award means there will be no Irish Person of the Year for the first time in the history of the long-running event.

In a statement last night the Rehab Group, organiser of the awards, said O'Connor had made his decision "due to the current controversy".

A spokeswoman said the show jumper had contacted the organisation yesterday to say he would be withdrawing from the event. She said he had not been asked to stand down.

The awards were established in 1975 to "honour outstanding contributions by individuals to life on the island". There are three main categories; Irish Person of the Year, International Person of the Year and Young Person of the Year. Four further awards are presented for specific achievements.

The public makes nominations and an adjudication committee chooses a group of finalists, then selects the winner in each category. Due to O'Connor's overwhelming popularity, no other person had made the final selection.

"There was absolutely no back-up person, Cian was above everyone else, so there just won't be an award made for Irish Person of the Year," the spokeswoman said.

O'Connor's selection was "in recognition of his achievement in winning Olympic showjumping gold in Athens", the Rehab Group said. The decision was made by the People of the Year adjudication committee on September 1st.

Rehab expressed its disappointment that O'Connor would not be in a position to accept the title, but said it accepted his decision to stand down.

"We regret the circumstances that have led to this, but we respect his decision and we also note his unequivocal assertion that he is innocent of any impropriety."

The event will be broadcast on RTÉ1 at 10 p.m.