Ireland's Paddy Barnes cracks joke after Rio doping scandal

Paddy Barnes has attempted to lighten the mood in Rio by cracking a joke after the drugs scandal that has hit the Ireland team at the Olympic Games.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Aug 2016, 16:50 BST

Updated 5th Aug 2016, 17:55 BST

An Ireland boxer’s alleged doping violation has unsettled the Irish team but Barnes joked about the situation on Twitter.

“Irish boxing is in crisis! There’s no ginger nut biscuits for tea time tonight!!!”

Barnes and fellow Belfast boxer Michael Conlan are hoping to bring home gold at the Games and were given byes in the last 16 of their respective weight divisions.

Barnes will take on either Artur Hovhannis of Armenia or Samual Carmonda Heredia of Spain on Monday.

While Conlan faces either A Morisaka of Japan or A Avagyan of Armenia on August 14.

Ballymena and Ireland’s Steven Donnelly is in action on Sunday as he faces Zahir Kedache of Algeria in the 69kg divison and David Oliver Joyce faces Andrique Allisop of the Seychelles.