Champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been banned for three months after testing positive for cocaine.

After it emerged in October that the Irishman had tested positive following a racecourse test in France in July, the French racing authority swiftly held a commission and then had a disciplinary hearing this week.

The hearing was only held once test results from Murphy’s B-sample had been completed, which he requested.

And it was announced on Friday that the commissioners of France Galop had decided on a three month ban, according to BBC Sport.

They have asked the British Racing Authority to uphold the same ban, which will run from December 11 until March 11.

Murphy, who retained the British flat jockeys’ championship in 2020 and is number one jockey for Qatar Racing, has denied any wrongdoing.

"I have never taken cocaine in my life and I will do everything that I can to prove that I have not taken cocaine," he said.

The jockey also added that hair tests had not shown any trace of cocaine.