French racing authority France Galop says it is awaiting further contact from Frankie Dettori concerning a “medical” matter if the rider’s application for a renewed licence is to be approved.
France Galop banned the Italian for six months after he tested positive for cocaine at Longchamp last September.
Dettori was due to return to action at Leicester on Monday, but his comeback was vetoed by the British Horseracing Authority after the French regulators said on Friday he must firstly attend a meeting with its medical committee.
With the English Derby at Epsom on June 1, the jockey’s representatives have stated their intent to hasten Dettori’s return to the saddle.
However, France Galop said on Tuesday that the onus is on Dettori to contact them.
“We’re waiting for him to get back to us over medical issues,” said France Galop communications director Julien Pescatore.
“It is a private matter.”
Dettori’s solicitor Christopher Stewart-Moore said his team were in contact with France Galop but that it was a “private matter”.
“We are in correspondence with France Galop about this and it is a private matter,” he said.
BHA officials said the authority’s position on Dettori’s licensing had not changed since last week.
“It remains the situation that the BHA is awaiting either clearance from France regarding Frankie Dettori or an understanding of the reason why France Galop does not consider him fit to ride,” spokesman Robin Mounsey said.
“At present France Galop is exercising its right not to disclose this information.
“Clearance from France was always one of the criteria needed before Dettori could be issued his licence to ride in Britain and this was made clear by the BHA’s licensing committee at its meeting with Frankie Dettori on May 14.”
