inspectors who visited Manchester United's training ground
at Carrington on Sept 23.
‘As usual with out-of-competition drug tests, the two
inspectors turned up without advance warning and told
Manchester United they wanted to test four players from the
first-team squad. The 20 players practising were numbered
and their numbers put in a hat. These numbers did not
correspond with the squad numbers. Ferdinand's number was
drawn.
‘In the out-of-competition tests, the players selected are
allowed to shower and change after training, before
providing the sample. In this case, only Ferdinand of the
four United players selected failed to appear for testing.
‘Old Trafford sources say Ferdinand is inclined to be
"forgetful" on such issues and in the past has forgotten to
appear for media interviews after training, arranged by
United's press officer. Club officials, alarmed by
Ferdinand's failure, were unable to contact him on his
mobile phone.