Jordan Williams: jockey handed six-month ban from horse racing after testing positive for cocaine

Conditional jockey Jordan Williams has had his licence from horse racing withdrawn for six months following a failed drugs test.

The 25-year-old tested positive for cocaine during a random drugs test which took place at Kempton on Wednesday 7 February. At the time, the jockey provided a hair sample that showed cocaine had been ingested at some stage between December 2023 and February 2024.

During an interview with the British Horse Racing Authority (BHA), Williams said he “did not remember taking the drug” but had been out “with cocaine users” on December 19-20 and “could’ve taken cocaine” on one of those days.

The rules state a jockey must ensure that no banned substances are present in their body and the independent panel issued a six-month ban, the BHA said.

His period of ineligibility was backdated to start on 11 March 2024, when his interim suspension began following the positive test result. The rider will be able to reapply for his licence from September 12 and will be the subject of enhanced sampling checks by the BHA upon his return, according to Racing Post.