Horse racing-Jockey De La Sayette gets six-month ban for cocaine use

[September 17, 2021] 

(Reuters) - Teenage jockey Benoit de la Sayette has been banned for six months after testing positive for cocaine earlier this year, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) said.

The 18-year-old, who won the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster in March on Haqeeqy for Newmarket trainer John Gosden, will be allowed to return to racing on Oct. 17 after the BHA backdated the start of his ban to April.

De la Sayette's suspension followed the emergence of a video circulated on social media which showed the rider at a party in the presence of drugs after his win at Doncaster, the BBC reported.

He tested positive for metabolites of cocaine a few days later.

"The Disciplinary Panel has withdrawn Benoit De La Sayette's licence for a period of six months, from 17 April 2021 to 16 October 2021 inclusive," the BHA said in a statement.

"Written reasons will be published in due course."

De la Sayette will likely have to clear a licensing committee hearing before he is allowed to return to racing, the BBC added.

(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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