QUANTUM LEAP Posted December 19, 2003 Ferdinand handed eight-month ban BOLTON (Reuters) - Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has been handed an eight-month ban by an independent disciplinary commission for missing a drugs test three months ago. The 25-year-old England international, who risked a ban of up to two years, had been charged by the Football Association (FA) with a "failure or refusal" to take the test at United's training ground at Carrington on September 23. Ferdinand, who has 14 days to appeal against the verdict, has denied using drugs and passed a dope test 36 hours after he should have taken the original one. The FA ruled him out of England's final Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey on October 11, sparking a furious protest by his international team mates, but allowed him to keep playing for United, a decision criticised by FIFA president Sepp Blatter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Observer Posted December 20, 2003 It is not that bad. I was expect a hursher sentance. I believe it is fair and FA must send a massage that if a play uses any kind of durgs that enhances a preformance will not be tolerated. Or else that would be the reprecussion. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QUANTUM LEAP Posted December 20, 2003 I believe the punishment was pretty harsh and mostly influenced by the media and the nosey Sett Blatter who didnt know much about what happened in the first place. First of all the guy didnt do any drugs...second he wasnt found guilty for anything other than asimple delay and ofcouse the next day there were no drugs found in his system either. Before Ferdinand, there were two other cases non of which suspended nor charged apenalty such the one he was given. You could point the finger at the FA for not highlighting their rules on drugs and testing and making them quite clear to the footballers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
