Neil Callan has eight-month ban for inappropriate social media posts suspended for two years

Neil Callan has been handed an eight-month ban for inappropriate use of social media, although he remains free to ride as the sentence is suspended for two years.

Callan received the punishment for two breaches of the BHA's official code of conduct and a third charge of "conduct prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of racing", with all three charges relating to his use of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

After a closed plea agreement hearing of an hour involving Callan, legal counsel and racing's independent judicial panel, chair Tim Grey warned the 46-year-old jockey that any disciplinary offences not connected to race-riding over the next two years could open the way to the ban being triggered.

Two offences under BHA rule J19A around breaching the code of conduct related to posts on X from December 2023.

Grey described Callan's post of December 15, 2023, directed at raceday steward Anthony McGlone, as "abusive, insulting and did not treat him with respect", while a post on December 9 was characterised as "not a responsible use of social media and did not show adequate respect to the officials at the BHA".

Neil Callan: eight-month ban has been suspended for two yearsCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The 'conduct prejudicial' rule J19 was applied across a range of activity on X posted by Callan between August 16, 2023 and January 14, 2024 which Grey described as being "in a manner that was offensive, abusive and inappropriate".

Callan was also fined £1,500, while the 24-month suspension of the licence sanction is concurrent for all three charges.

"The suspension itself will act as a deterrent and should Mr Callan's behaviour recur or be repeated, then of course that suspension can be activated," said Grey.

"It's also right to say that if Mr Callan were to commit any further breaches of the rules of racing, save for standalone riding and riding-related offences dealt with by raceday stewards or the whip review committee, or [attend] a judicial panel hearing on whip, running or riding or related offences of interference referral, in the next two years, it would then be open to any future judicial panel to activate the suspension in addition to any new penalty."

The BHA's code of conduct was introduced in September 2022 and stipulates that "everyone who uses social media and the online space must act responsibly and not engage in any online bullying, harassment or abuse". 

Callan was contacted for a response by the Racing Post but declined to comment.

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