Three footballers and jockey Andrew Heffernan are among nine that have been given lengthy bans from racing after a corruption inquiry.

Ipswich's Michael Chopra and Doncaster winger James Coppinger were given 10-year bans for breaching racing's rules.

Heffernan is suspended for 30 years, which will be served in a concurrent 15 year timeframe, while ex-Manchester United player Mark Wilson was given a three-year penalty.

The nine races at the centre of the investigation, in which Heffernan's beaten mounts were laid to lose on betting exchanges, took place between 1 November 2010 and 31 March 2011.

In some cases, thousands of pounds were staked. While Wilson made more than £14,000 profit from four bets, he also lost £12,122 in one wager when a horse he backed to be unplaced actually finished second.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/horse-racing/21195955