by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Senior Newsroom Correspondent

Today the Norwegian Trotting Association published the verdict in the doping case against French trainer Fabrice Souloy, who had four trotters test positive for Cobalt in June 2016 at Bjerke, Oslo.

Souloy was banned from training and driving for 15 years and fined $60,000.

The association had wanted Souloy banned for life and fined $25,000.

Souloy is still awaiting a verdict from the Swedish Trotting Association regarding a positive test from the Elitlopp 2016 — also for Cobalt — and it was thought that the two Scandinavian associations would have published their verdicts together. However, due to vacation the Swedish verdict is first expected to be known around July 5.

At present Souloy is serving a one year ban in France after a positive test for Cobalt.