Oisin Murphy has been banned for three months by French racing authority, France Galop.
The two-time UK flat champion jockey tested positive for metabolites of cocaine in a sample taken at Chantilly on July 19.
Murphy had strongly denied ever taking the drug, and had vowed to clear his name.
The Killarney native provided a hair sample, and testified that he'd had sex with a person he later discovered was a cocaine user.
Such a positive sample would ordinarily result in a six-month ban, but stewards cut the usual suspension in half owing to Murphy's cooperation.
"Whilst I am obviously disappointed that I will still have to serve a three-month suspension," Murphy said, "I am pleased the Commissioners accepted the evidence presented and am hugely relieved to have been cleared of taking cocaine.
He will be banned from December 11, 2020 to March 11, 2021 in France, but France Galop will seek to have the ban enforced in other jurisdictions like Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Oisin Murphy statement:
Whilst 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.
I respect the rules of France Galop, respect their decision and will not be appealing. Despite my relief, I regretfully put myself in a situation whereby cocaine has been able to filter into my system through environmental contamination and must live with the consequences.
As a professional sportsman I cannot put myself in a similar situation again.
Even though I have been exonerated from taking cocaine, I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to Sheikh Fahad al Thani, David Redvers and Andrew Balding and thank them for their support.
I also want to thank my legal team, particularly Florence Gaudilliere, who represented me in France but also Rory Mac Neice, the Professional Jockeys Association, Johnno Spence and others who have advised and supported me throughout.
Finally, I would also like to apologise to the whole Qatar Racing team, to the owners and trainers I ride for, my supporters, my weighing room colleagues and to my commercial partners as well as Racing to School."
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.
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