British Horseracing Authority chief executive Paul Bittar has revealed that the governing body are 'comfortable' with a disciplinary panel's decision to ban trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni for eight years.
The Godolphin trainer was hit with the lengthy suspension after 11 of his 45 horses tested positive for anabolic steroids.
"I think it was appropriate in the context of the evidence of the case," Bittar told BBC Radio Five Live. "The disciplinary panel is slightly independent of the BHA in terms of making its decision and we are not uncomfortable in the decision they have made."
In addition to Al Zarooni's ban, the BHA suspended 15 horses from the stable after the trainer admitted that four additional horses had illegal substances in their systems.
