Jockey Dettori Is Temporarily Suspended in France, Sky Reports

Jockey Frankie Dettori was temporarily suspended from horseracing in France today after his positive test for a banned substance at Longchamp in September, Sky reported.

The medical committee of France Galop, the country’s racing authority, considered the case yesterday and heard evidence from the 41-year-old jockey via a conference call.

Having notified Dettori of its decision, “the medical committee has temporarily suspended the said jockey from riding in races in France, based on medical grounds,” France Galop was cited as saying in a statement today.

The medical committee’s report will be studied by France Galop stewards within the next two weeks and they will decide what action to take.

The banned substance hasn’t been publicly specified. Dettori’s lawyer Christopher Stewart-Moore said last week it was “not a performance-enhancing drug.”

Italian Dettori is a three-time champion jockey in Britain. Last month he lost his role as a contracted jockey for Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Godolphin training set-up. He was with the stable for 18 years and rode nine English classic winners for it before falling out of favor this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Peter-Joseph Hegarty in London at phegarty@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Elser at celser@bloomberg.net