The Frenchman, who became the third man to better 18 metres when he leapt 18.04m to win the world title in Moscow last summer, is banned until March 17 next year.

The French Athletics Federation (FFA) said the ban is backdated because of his "good faith" during the case.

The FFA's Board ruled that the 25-year-old athlete, who has 45 days to appeal, did not deliberately miss the three tests.

It found Tamgho missed tests on December 19, 2012, January 28, 2014 and March 18 2014, the date from which his ban has been ruled to have begun.

Teddy Tamgho, who became only the third triple jumper to clear 18 metres in winning last year's world title in Moscow, has 45 days to appeal against the second ban of his career ©Getty Images

The mercurial Tamgho is currently injured, having fractured a tibia in November last year.

In December 2011 he was banned for 12 months, with six suspended, after being involved in a fight in October of that year with a female athlete at a training camp.

At the time, the Frenchman was recovering from a broken ankle which had prevented him competing in the 2011 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Daegu.

Despite being cleared to return, Tamgho was unfit to compete at the London 2012 Olympics, but his flourish in Moscow last summer appeared to announce an athlete capable of challenging Jonathan Edwards's 1995 world record of 18.29m.

That challenge will now be delayed.

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