SAINTS' appeal against the the transfer of Ben Barba's 12-match ban from the NRL to Super League has failed.

The Independent Panel, led by His Honour Judge Peter Charlesworth, confirmed the suspension originally set by the NRL and subsequently recognised by the Rugby Football League, should remain. 

 Barba will sit out the next seven Saints games, but will be free for the last four Super 8s clashes from late August.

Barba received the ban after testing positive for cocaine in November 2016.

He left Cronulla to play rugby union in Toulon, before signing a two-and-a-half year deal to play for Saints.

Because the ban was not handed out for performance enhancing drugs and was out of season, Barba remains free to continue training with the first team while he serves the remainder of his suspension.

The appeal was referred by the RFL to an independent operations tribunal.