Norton gets four month ban for failed drugs test

THE long-running drugs test saga involving jockey Francis Norton was brought to an end in London yesterday when the rider was handed a four-month suspension.

Norton, 33, gave a positive sample for the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine on September 26 last year. But months of legal wrangling followed between the Jockey Club and Norton's legal team, and the date for his disciplinary hearing had been repeatedly deferred until yesterday. However, after a hearing which lasted over four hours, and which saw both Norton and the Jockey Club use independent medical experts as witnesses, the rider was finally told of his punishment.

Norton's defence revolved around two possible suggestions as to the source of the substance. Firstly, that an exotic herbal tea could have been responsible for the positive sample. Second, that it could have arisen from environmental contamination from handling banknotes.