Athletics was the most tested sport in Ireland last year, while weightlifting was the dirtiest. Tables released yesterday by the Irish Sports Council (ISC) shows that three track and field athletes tested positive but had credible medical reasons to explain the drugs in their system. Conversely, three weightlifters also tested positive but received bans ranging from six months to life. No names were released.

One year into Ireland's drug testing and the results show what many had expected. Ireland is no cleaner or dirtier than any other nation when it comes to cheating in sport and using substances on the IOC banned list.

In total there were 12 positive results from 621 tests conducted throughout the country. The figure exceeds the 600 tests the ISC had originally targeted while the number of positives recorded is in line with the global average of two per cent.

Because of the size of the track and field team which travelled to the Sydney Olympics last year, athletics was the most tested sport with 147 conducted, 98 of them out of competition. Rugby was the second most tested with 104 conducted, 40 of them out of competition.

Rugby also registered a positive result for oxymetholone which is an anabolic steroid. The test was taken out of competition and the case has yet to be heard by the IRFU's specially convened committee which deals with such issues.

Cycling was the third most heavily targeted sport with 66 tests conducted, 18 of them out of competition. Two of the tests were positive for salbutanol and ephedrine which are considered illegal stimulants and anabolic agents. One of the cyclists had medical clearance to take the drug while the other received a three-month suspension for not following medical procedures.

One boxer tested positive for anabolic steroids but the case was dismissed; an equestrian competitor was also reprimanded but not suspended for not following medical procedures having tested positive for EPO; judo had one positive for the anabolic steroid methandieone. An appeal case is pending.

The weightlifter who was suspended for life was caught for the second time using anabolic steroids.

Given that three athletes tested positive for salbutanol and terbutaline, which are drugs associated with asthma, the ISC said that they were not concerned about the growing trend in world athletics for athletes to declare themselves asthmatic.

The Sydney Games were not only voted the `best ever' by IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch but also the most asthmatic by the medical team that oversaw the testing. The suggestion is that some athletes declare themselves asthmatic to take performance-enhancing prescription drugs.

"We wouldn't have any evidence to suggest a trend in that line in Ireland at the moment," said ISC programme executive Dr Una May. "There is a high incidence of asthma, I think in the region of four per cent of the adult population in Ireland. I don't think it's unusual to see it in sport. Without any other evidence these are standard normal figures in terms of the positives. We've no other figures to show that there is a high incidence of it (asthma) in sport in Ireland," said May.

ISC chief executive John Treacy also denied that sports were targeted because of reputation. Rugby was the second most tested sport because of the speed at which the IRFU were able to introduce programmes.

"Obviously rugby is high as well," he says. "That's because rugby as well as athletics were one of the first two sports to come on board. So it meant they were in a position to roll out the programme. With more sports on board the spread will probably become more even with time.

"Certain sports dictate that there are a set number of tests. Take the Ras . . . the cycling federation would dictate that there would be a certain number of tests taken. Also sports come to us and say `we have this event on and we really want testing to happen at these'. We in turn would try and meet their needs and co-ordinate a plan with them. That's part of our function," says Treacy.

The GAA are the largest organisation not yet to have signed up to the drug-testing programme. But Treacy is confident that the organisation will be on board this summer. Because the GAA are not an international organisation they have special needs, ones the ISC acknowledge and respect.

"The issues in the GAA are quite different from others," says Treacy. With the smaller sports the volume of athletes you're testing is quite small because you are targeting people who are competing at international level and national level. So the number of people that you have to hit is not that large.

"With the GAA there are a number of issues. They don't have an international body, number one. So as a national body they have to start from scratch in terms of the programme. As well as that, the volume of athletes and players subject to testing is a lot bigger. We are initially talking of starting at inter-county level so it's quite a volume. There are also issues we've been working through on the education side of it."

The ISC see the programme as a success in terms of the £452,459 they have spent on conducting tests. They are also satisfied that 45 per cent of the tests were conducted out of competition, the best time to catch cheating athletes and in that there is credit. The ISC also hope to increase the testing frequency next year by 10 per cent. However, the question remains whether enough athletes are being caught.

Twelve athletes might have tested positive but six received no suspension, four were suspended and two are waiting an appeal or hearing. Given that there are several hundred thousand athletes in the testing pool, is a return of four (or a maximum of six depending on two hearings) an encouraging or discouraging figure?