29 July 2012 Last updated at 14:58 ET

Betting investigation for unnamed Irish Olympic team member

Team Ireland enter the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony.

The International Olympic Committee's [IOC] ethics body is investigating allegations that an Irish competitor placed bets on an opponent at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the BBC understands.

The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) has refused to confirm the identity of the athlete, who is believed to be competing in the London Games.

The IOC's code of conduct outlaws the practice of betting against yourself.

On Saturday, the OCI said the the allegation was contained in an email.

An OCI spokesperson confirmed that they have informed the athlete - whom they will not identify - of the allegation.

It had been sent to the OCI which then forwarded it immediately to its lawyers. On the advice of the lawyers the athlete was made aware of the allegation.

In the statement, released on Saturday, the OCI said it was now requesting full disclosure of documentation from the person who made the claim, so that it could be investigated in a fair and proper manner.

"The OCI and the International Olympic Committee are now working together on the matter," the statement said.

The allegation was reported by the Irish Independent newspaper, which claimed to have seen documentary evidence of irregular gambling by a current Irish team member.

There are more than 60 athletes in the Irish Olympic team, 14 of whom are from Northern Ireland.

The OCI is the representative body for all Olympic national sports federations in Ireland.