FA CHARGE RIO

A United statement said yesterday:

'Manchester United notes the decision by the Football
Association today to charge Rio Ferdinand with misconduct
for failure to attend a drugs test. The player will be
responding to the charge and seeking a personal hearing in
accordance with FA procedures.'

Gordon Taylor has once again voiced his support for
Ferdinand:

“His explanation was that was innocent rather than a
deliberate attempt to avoid it and I have not heard any
other reason why it was not. The World Anti Doping Agency
says there should be no naming, no breach of confidentiality
until the initial hearing. That was set the Monday after the
Turkey game and yet he was left out.

“The reasons why he was left out were given and he has
already suffered a penalty. This is for a lad who has still
not yet ever tested positive for drugs. Not only the
governing body, the FA, but the testing agency, the clubs
and the players, have all got to sing from the same hymn
sheet and know exactly what is expected. There has not been
that clarity.

IMUSA spokesman Mark Longden is worried that Ferdinand could
be made a scapegoat:

"Our concern is - we all know the bad publicity surrounding,
we know that Dwain Chambers failed a test for THG, but Rio
Ferdinand can't be punished for that. I would say that
they've got a high profile person that they can make an
example of.

"If Watford's reserve goalkeeper had missed a test, we
wouldn't be talking about it - there's no point making an
example of someone no-one's heard of."