Two Year Ban For Kelly Rider Shane (Brian) Kelly has been found guilty by the Referrals Committee of the Turf Club of testing positive for cocaine at Leopardstown on 13th August and has been banned from riding for two years with the second year suspended. The ban comes into force from 24th November. In his evidence trainer Michael O'Callaghan said Shane Brian Kelly had been working for him for the past year and was a huge part of his operation. He said he was a hard worker and very reliable. In his evidence Shane Brian Kelly accepted the findings and agreed that he was in breach of the rule. Having considered the evidence the Referrals Committee found that Shane Brian Kelly was in breach of Rule 277 and imposed a two year suspension on him holding a license with effect from 24th November 2015. However, they suspended the last year of the penalty on condition that the balance thereof could be activated immediately by any Referrals Committee which found at any future time that Mr Kelly had committed a further doping offence during the period of suspension, together with such further penalty in respect of the future offence as might be appropriate. They further ordered that Shane Brian Kelly submits to a program of random drug testing for the next two years, at the direction and discretion of the Turf Club Medical Officer. In light of Mr Kelly's circumstances, the manner in which he had met the case and the imposition of a period of suspension, the Committee did not order him to pay any costs.
