Murphy banned 14 months

LONDON • British flat-racing champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been banned for 14 months, after admitting to breaching coronavirus protocols, misleading the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and prejudicial conduct, plus two alcohol breaches.

The 26-year-old Irishman admitted all the charges at an independent judiciary panel last week.

His suspension has been backdated to Dec 8, as Murphy handed in his riding licence to seek support when he was charged that same month.

It means he cannot reapply for his licence until Feb 16 next year.

Among the charges brought by the BHA, UK horse racing's governing body, were misleading or attempting to mislead officials regarding his true location between Sept 9-12, 2020, when he had gone on holiday to Mykonos.

The Greek island was on Britain's Covid "red-list" at the time, but Murphy tried to say he had been at Lake Como in Italy instead.

He was also found to have twice been over the permitted threshold of alcohol when breathalysed before race meetings at Chester (May 5) and Newmarket (Oct 8).

Announcing the verdict, the BHA said Murphy's breaches of the rules were "extremely serious, reckless and potentially incredibly damaging for the sport," as he had potentially compromised the safety of his fellow jockeys.

The BHA added the independent panel had concluded Murphy's conduct "was unworthy of a sportsman".

But they also acknowledged the talented jockey had made "full, public admissions regarding these offences" and did not contest the rule breaches.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE