Joe Colliver given six-month ban after testing ten times over limit for cocaine

Jockey Joe Colliver has been suspended for six months after testing ten times over the limit for a metabolite of cocaine following a test at Wetherby in February.

A urine sample produced by Colliver, 30, was found to contain benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of the banned substance, in a quantity of 1,650ng/ml which is in excess of the permitted threshold of 150ng/ml.

Colliver's licence was suspended by the BHA pending a disciplinary hearing on March 4, with the Grade 1-winning rider admitting to using cocaine on the weekend prior to riding at Wetherby when interviewed by investigators in May.

Charlotte Davison, representing the BHA at Thursday's disciplinary panel hearing, acknowledged Colliver had made immediate admission of his actions, and said: "Mr Colliver said he had used cocaine on a number of occasions before but never on the day of a race, and even if he wanted to he would refrain from doing so. When he took cocaine it depended on his mood and what was going on around him."

Joe Colliver to face BHA hearing after metabolite of cocaine found in his system

Best known for his association with 2017 Long Walk Hurdle winner Sam Spinner, Colliver apologised to owners, trainers and stable staff who had supported him through his career.

Colliver's solicitor Rory Mac Neice said: "Mr Colliver has asked me to convey in clear terms how very sorry he is that this has happened.

"He is very keen to publicly apologise to owners and trainers who have supported him through his career, but also to the stable staff as their support has always meant a huge amount to him."

Colliver will be able to reapply for his licence from September 3, with his six-month ban backdated to the date he was stopped from riding.

Sam Spinner and Joe Colliver clear the last in the 2017 Long Walk HurdleCredit: Mark Cranham

Panel chairman James O'Mahoney outlined that while Colliver had enjoyed "fine moments" in the saddle during his career, a six-month withdrawal of his licence was necessary under the rules.

He added: "Cocaine is anathema to racing. There is a real purpose to the severity of the punishment for people taking cocaine in racing and putting others and horses at risk."

In 2016, Colliver served three months of a ten-month jail sentence for crashing his car when two-times over the drink-driving limit and lying about the circumstances by getting a friend to cover for him.

He was also banned from driving for 40 months in May 2019 after pleading guilty to drink-driving.

Read more on this subject:

Andrew Dietz: is enough being done to help jockeys avoid the pitfalls of cocaine?

IHRB to ramp up volume of tests on jockeys in bid to tackle cocaine problems

BHA looks to hair testing as another jockey is banned for cocaine use

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