Olympic Involvement
Macken represented Ireland at the Olympic Games in 1992 Barcelona (on Welfrenkone finishing 75th individually – team 14th) and in 1996 Atlanta (on Schalkaar finishing 37th individually – team 8th), and as team trainer in 2004 (Athens).
Controversy swirled around the Irish team during the 2004 Olympics. Originally selected as team trainer, Macken was sacked in June 2004 after a power struggle with Chef D'Equipe Tommy Wade, an event that came to be known as the "Macken Sackin' Affair". A group of senior Irish riders complained, and in July Macken was reinstated as team trainer and Wade was removed as Team Manager. Top team rider Cian O'Connor chose to stay out of the controversy and continue to support Wade, which raised the ire of some fellow riders. All seemed well as O'Connor went on to win the individual gold medal, and the team overall finished 7th. However the gold medal was later stripped when O'Connor's horse - Waterford Crystal - tested positive for a banned substance.
Read more about this topic: Eddie Macken
Famous quotes containing the words olympic and/or involvement:
“Like Olympic medals and tennis trophies, all they signified was that the owner had done something of no benefit to anyone more capably than everyone else.”
—Joseph Heller (b. 1923)
“Not only do our wives need support, but our children need our deep involvement in their lives. If this period [the early years] of primitive needs and primitive caretaking passes without us, it is lost forever. We can be involved in other ways, but never again on this profoundly intimate level.”
—Augustus Y. Napier (20th century)