Hall of Fame harness trainer Richard Moreau, along with legendary harness driver Sylvain Filion, have both been suspended for 10 years by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (SCGO).
The ruling comes after a failed drug test by a horse trained by the pair last July found it had a banned substance in its system. They were also each fined $40,000.
The ruling can be appealed.
"To protect the wellbeing and safety of horses and safeguard the integrity of horse racing, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued monetary penalties and suspensions to standardbred trainer, Richard Moreau, and driver, Sylvain Filion. Both are found to have violated the AGCO’s Rules of Standardbred Racing," says a news release by the ACGO.
Moreau is a 10-time O'Brien Award winner as Trainer of the Year. Filion, who announced earlier this year he was retiring from driving, has won over 8,000 races and $95 million in career earnings.
Any horses owned by Moreau and/or Filion are ineligible to be entered to race during the 10-year suspension period. Horses trained by Moreau and/or Filion are also ineligible to race but may be released or sold to another trainer, if approved by AGCO race officials.
