Statement by Duncan Holland, the Cambridge Head Coach, on the withdrawal of Shane O’Mara from the Blue boat:

Following extensive testing and treatment at Adambrooks Hospital in Cambridge, I can now confirm that Shane O’Mara’s illness is a heart arrhythmia* and a atrial fibrillation**.

This condition is not uncommon among top athletes and can normally be controlled by medication.

Unfortunately, in Shane’s case, there were some minor complications and it was decided not to allow him to race. However, we are confident that Shane will be able to race again at top level in the near future.

Rob Waddell, an Olympic gold medalist rower in 2000, also suffers from the same heart condition. It is this condition that may keep Waddell from rowing in the 2008 Olympic games.

*An arrhythmia is described as: a disturbance of the normal rhythm of the heart. Arrhythmia is very common and can occur naturally (Bupa.co.uk).

**Atrial fibrillation is described as: a cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) that involves the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart.(Wikepedia.org).