Former world champion Ricky Hatton suffered a further blow to his reputation as a result of having taken cocaine when his licence to box was withdrawn yesterday.

The 31-year-old, who faces the prospect of a police investigation, was condemned by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) for “bringing the sport into disrepute”, who ruled his “current physical condition is such that the Board decided to withdraw his boxer’s licence”.

Hatton was diagnosed with depression and a drink problem by a specialist earlier this month after a newspaper published video footage of the boxer allegedly snorting cocaine.

The News of the World secretly filmed Hatton, who has not fought since being knocked out in the second round of his May 2009 showdown with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas, supposedly using “industrial quantities” of the drug during a marathon 10-hour drinking session.

It led the BBBofC to call a hearing on Wednesday and their statement issued yesterday said: “The board found Ricky Hatton guilty of misconduct in that his actions and behaviour were detrimental to the interests of boxing and to the public interest and that he had brought the sport into disrepute.

“Ricky Hatton is not an active boxer and his current physical condition is such that the Board decided to withdraw his boxer’s licence.”

Hatton was also fined £20,000 and UK boxing’s governing body also revoked his manager and second’s licences but allowed him to remain a promoter.

“Ricky Hatton’s manager’s and second’s licences allow him to have close, day-to-day contact with participants in the sport and the board has taken the view that his conduct and present circumstances make such contact wholly inappropriate,” the BBBofC statement added.

“Consequently, the board has decided to withdraw such licences.”