The Irish Sports Council (ISC) has said it will not provide financial assistance to governing bodies who face a legal challenge from athletes who are sanctioned after a positive drug test.

John Treacy, the chief executive of the ISC, told the Dail Public Accounts committee that it will be the responsibility of the individual Irish federations to impose sanctions on athletes who fail tests. There will be no financial back-up from the ISC.

Treacy was responding to a question from Fine Gael's Bernard Allen who had suggested that the ISC should indemnify governing bodies, particularly the weaker ones, from the threat of legal action from their members.

Allen said that smaller organisations might be tempted to make political, rather than ethical, decisions in the face of legal threats. As it stands, the ISC is responsible for the collection and testing of urine samples. In the event of a positive sample, the ISC pass on the results to the athlete's governing body. It is then a matter for the governing body to hold a hearing and consider sanctions.

"The federations see themselves as the meat in the sandwich," said Allen, who pointed to athletes who get smart lawyers on a no win no fee basis. He added that if the ISC did not indemnify organisations "the whole thing is in danger of collapse".

Treacy, suggesting that federations will have to accept difficult decisions and face up to the most contentious issue in modern sport, was adamant.

"We don't indemnify national governing bodies," he said. "They are autonomous organisations. We are helping them safeguard their sport, saying to them `Here is your policy', and also to seek legal advice."

Treacy also pointed out that many competitors who have travelled abroad for winter training, will be tested by an international agency.

He also said that Olympic athletes would continue to be the priority in terms of drug testing during the build-up to Sydney. He added that the GAA would come into the national drug testing programme in April.