IRISH TRAINER Gerard Butler has appealed against his five-year suspension over doping offences, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced today.
The 47-year-old was handed the ban earlier this month after admitting to seven charges relating to the use of substances containing the banned anabolic steroid stanozolol.
Nine horses in Butler’s care tested positive for illegal substances, including the powerful bodybuilding steroid Rexogin.
“Gerard Butler has appealed against the findings of the Disciplinary Panel on 4 Dec 2013 and the penalties imposed upon him,” the BHA announced on Twitter.
“Butler was disqualified for five years after admitting seven breaches of the Rules of Racing. No date for a hearing has yet been set. Butler will remain a disqualified person in the meantime.”
Butler’s suspension followed the eight-year ban given to Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni in April after he was found guilty of doping horses in the biggest drugs scandal ever to hit the sport.
