Kieren Fallon- British Jockey Champion Epsom Derby Winner Career Controversies
Professional flat racing jockey and six-time British Champion Jockey, Kieren Fallon, has often been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Despite being one of the greats of the game, he has involved himself in many controversial issues, be it match fixing,
or, using illegal drugs.
Fallon started his career in Ireland under trainer, Kevin Prendergast, and marked his first win in 1984. He decided to move to England in 1988 where he started his professional career.
His major wins include the Epsom Derby 1999 that he went on to win three times, Kris Kin in 2003 and North Light in 2004.
Kieren Fallon has been banned for cocaine use and he has been on drug abuse charges.
It all started when he got banned for testing positive for a prohibited substance in France. An automatic ban was enforced against Fallon.
After testing positive for a prohibited substance, Fallon decided to call it quits and part way with the sport but his high profile employers, Coolmore, said that he will continue. Fallon missed key races that year.
Drug abuse was not the only thing Fallon was found guilty for. His misdemeanours go deeper than that. He has been accused of having an affair with his then trainer’s, Sir Henry Cecil’s, wife.
He has courted controversy. Fallon received another 6 months ban when he pulled Jockey Stuart Webster off his horse.
In March 2004, Fallon was the target of another major inquiry after he was accused of fixing a race where he rode Ballinger Ridge. He slowed up his horse entering the final straight and accelerated only after the race favourite accelerated and Fallon finished
second.
On July 3, 2006 Fallon was in trouble again and this time his license was taken away when he was found guilty of defrauding an on-line betting exchange. Fallon filed an appeal but got rejected and subsequently banned from riding in the UK but he was not
banned in the Republic of Ireland.
Fallon found a little relief in 2007 when his trial on charges of match fixing began in Old Bailey, but the judge decided that due to lack of evidence, no further action could be taken and Fallon could regain his license and right to ride in the UK.
On another occasion, Fallon got an 18-month ban when he tested positive for a banned substance at Deauville but he kept racing at Lingfield Park on 4 September 2009.
In 2009 Kieren Fallon told BBC Sport that “racing has a drug problem”. It seems as if the 44-year old was trying to make a new start by avoiding further controversies and tried to help the sport and keep it free from using banned substances.
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