Racing: Kieren Fallon is to appeal after being banned from racing worldwide for 18 months by France Galop after testing positive for a banned substance following a race at Deauville in August 2007.
Fallon appeared before the French racing authorities on Wednesday as they considered the case of the six-time champion jockey, whose B-test sample confirmed the original positive test for a banned substance.
That hearing was held at France Galop's headquarters at Boulogne-Billancourt in Paris, with the verdict being revealed today.
Fallon failed the test after Myboycharlie's success in the Group One Darley Prix Morny on August 19th.
Fallon is licensed in Ireland, but the French suspension would apply worldwide.
Fallon previously served a six-month suspension imposed by France Galop for testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine in June 2006.
He was recently acquitted along with five others of conspiracy to defraud Betfair customers by a jury at the Old Bailey.
Henri Pouret, the head of rulebook and stewards' secretariat department at France Galop, confirmed: "The jockey Kieren Fallon has been suspended for a period of 18 months. However, he has already appealed and that is the reason why no statement has been issued by France Galop.
"Now our appeal commission at France Galop will meet and will examine the appeal."
Fallon's employers Coolmore stuck by him following his six-month ban and the jockey soon bounced back on his return in June this year, winning the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Peeping Fawn at the end of that month.
However, he was unable to ride in Britain at that time because of the court case, which cost him several big-race winners including the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes on Dylan Thomas.
Coolmore spokesman Richard Henry said this evening: "This is a personal matter for Kieren and for us there is no change - we will continue to use the best available on the day, as before."
Denis Egan, chief executive of the Irish Turf Club, said: "As the matter is subject to an appeal, we have to wait to see what is going to happen, although we note the initial decision."