CHAMPION jockey Oisin Murphy has been banned for three months by governing body France Galop after testing positive for metabolites of cocaine.

Murphy, who successfully defended his title this season, failed a test at Chantilly on July 19, having ridden The Lir Jet, owned by his bosses Qatar Racing.

Having always strenuously denied he had taken any drugs, Murphy requested a B sample. Upon receiving the results, France Galop held a hearing on Wednesday.

The ban will run from December 11 until March 11.

In similar cases the punishment has been a six-month suspension. But the panel was persuaded by a combination of a hair sample and Murphy’s testimony that the positive test arose from an unintentional environmental contamination.

Murphy has announced that he will not appeal against the suspension, which ends before the British Flat Turf season begins on March 27.

In a statement issued through the Professional Jockeys Association, he said: “I would like to thank France Galop and the panel of commissioners for a fair hearing and for accepting the evidence I presented that I had not taken cocaine…

“While I am obviously disappointed that I will still have to serve a three-month suspension, I am pleased the commissioners accepted the evidence presented and am hugely relieved to have been cleared of taking cocaine…

“As a professional sportsman I cannot put myself in a similar situation again.”

He added: “The next three months will give me much time to reflect on my actions, but I will learn from this experience and come back better and even more determined than before.”