During Larry Gough's six-month suspension, "out of consideration for your club" the IAFF lifted his suspension for one day, 30 March 1967, to allow his club to compete (the reigning Irish Épée Team Champions) in the Coupe d'Europe in Heidenheim. Dublin were drawn against Ankara, Stockholm and Warsaw. Gough won four of his bouts, which accounted for 50% of the Irish victories. He was Ireland's most successful athlete at the Coupe d'Europe 1967.

After his six-month suspension, Larry Gough fenced successfully both at home and abroad. He placed 6th in the IV International Istanbul Tournament in November 1967.

Larry Gough had fulfilled all the selection criteria stipulated by the IAFF, in the Olympic year, for nomination for the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. Nevertheless, the selectors' committee of the IAFF did not select him for the team.

Gough was surprised and disappointed at not being chosen to represent his country at the Mexico Games. Upon learning who had been chosen in his stead, Larry Gough immediately requested the IAFF to publish the results forming the basis of selection of the four selected fencers. His request was ignored.

He approached the Olympic Council of Ireland for help, explaining that all the selectors were from the same club, that he had beaten a number of the selected fencers, and that he had a superior international record in the Olympic year. However, under the statutes of the Olympic Council of Ireland, the Council was not permitted to interfere in the internal matters of any national sports organisation. His request was turned down.

The well-known Irish sports commentator Jimmy Magee invited both the Chairman of the IAFF, K. T. M. Robinson, and Lawrence Gough to take part in a live discussion on the Irish national radio station, Rádio Éireann. The Chairman maintained that the selectors' decision was final and that there was nothing anybody could do about the selection.

On 25 August 1968, the columnist Frank Ward wrote in the Sunday Press:

SPORT OF GENTLEMEN
[...] It happened this way. When the Irish team for the Olympic Games in Mexico was picked, Laurence was not included despite the fact that he claims he can beat some of the men already picked. He has pointed out to the Olympic Council that not only can he beat some of the team, but that some of the team ARE ACTUALLY SELECTORS. [...] The idea of a selector including himself on the side seems, to say the least of it, a bit thick.

(Sunday Press, 25.08.1968)

On 28 August 1968, the Evening Press, one of Ireland's national newspapers, published a letter from Lawrence Gough in which he pointed out that the selection process of the Irish fencing team for the Games of the XIX Olympiad was very much a family and club affair:

The I.A.F.F. has selected four fencers, two of whom were selectors [...]. All the selectors are Salle Duffy members; the other two are Vincent Duffy (brother of the proprietor of Salle Duffy) and Miss S. Armstrong (editor's note: later Mrs P. Duffy). Of those selected, three are members of Salle Duffy and the fourth has been a member for eight years.
(Evening Press, 28.08.1968)

In August 1968, at the age of 19, Lawrence Gough was expelled from the IAFF and his FIE licence was withdrawn by the IAFF. He was banned for life. From that point on, Gough could not train in any club in Ireland and was banned from entering every single competition in the world.

The manner of his expulsion was in breach of Article VIII (Discipline) of the Constitution of the IAFF.

The first he knew of his expulsion was when he received a letter from K. T. M. Robinson, Chairman of the IAFF, dated 7 August 1968:

Dear Mr Gough,
I have been asked to advise you that at the Council Meeting held last night you were expelled from the Federation from today's date for 'conduct detrimental to the interests and character of the Federation'.
Yours faithfully,
IRISH AMATEUR FENCING FEDERATION
(signature K. T. M. Robinson) Chairman

(Letter dated 07.08.1968)

The actions of the Council of the IAFF in expelling Gough in August 1968 were a blueprint of their actions when suspending him in February 1967 — an utter and complete farce.

Article VIII — Discipline

Section 1.
The Council shall, by a two-thirds majority of the members voting, have power to reprimand, suspend or expel any member whose conduct it deems detrimental to the interests or character of the Federation. No suspension shall be for more than one year.

Section 2.
Notice must be served upon the member against whom the action is being taken, setting forth generally the conduct forming the basis for the action.

Lawrence Gough was not informed that action was being taken against him. He was presented with a fait accompli. The IAFF failed to inform him of any pending disciplinary action, in breach of its own Constitution dated 30.04.1967. The IAFF had acted in exactly the same way in February 1967 — and got away with it.

Section 3.
If requested within ten days by the member disciplined or by three members of the Council, a committee of not less than five fencing members of the Federation shall be appointed by the President to investigate the conduct charged against the member...

Gough lodged an appeal. A committee of five fencing members was appointed by the Chairman, contrary to Article VIII, Section 3, which stipulated that the committee must be appointed by the President. The same person who chaired the meeting expelling Gough then appointed the appeal committee. The IAFF later falsely claimed constitutional compliance.

Section 4.
In cases of appeals by a minor, the minor shall be accompanied by a senior member over 21 years of age who is not a member of the Federation Central Council.

On 23 August 1968, Gough was informed that his appeal would be heard the next day. He was given less than 24 hours' notice and no information regarding the charges. At 19, still a minor under Irish law, Lawrence Gough appeared alone.

The Appeal Hearing was not only in breach of the IAFF Constitution but also in breach of Irish law. His constitutional rights were violated. Members of the Appeal Committee admitted they had never seen the IAFF Constitution and asked Gough to lend them his copy.

As in February 1967, the entire procedure in August 1968 was a farce.

The selection process adopted by the IAFF must rank among the most shameful Olympic team selections in the free world. The imposition of a world-wide lifetime ban on a 19-year-old for questioning the selection system is one of the harshest punishments ever imposed in amateur sport.

Shameful as it was, the consequences were brutal: Lawrence Gough could never fence again.

While Gough struggled to come to terms with the end of his career, the IAFF's four-man Olympic team travelled to Mexico City on 19 September 1968 for the Games of the XIX Olympiad.