RIO FORGOT TO TURN UP

Last updated : 07 October 2003 By editor

Basically what happened was that he was due to be tested at Carrington a couple of weeks ago, the day after the Arsenal game. He never showed up, then he rang the club saying that he had forgot because he was moving house, but the FA drug tester had already left.

Henry Winter, Football Correspondent

Rio Ferdinand's England future should be decided this morning when the Football Association are expected to announce what action they will take over the allegations that the Manchester United defender refused to undergo a routine drugs test at the club's training ground a fortnight ago.

FA officials held talks last night with United representatives to discuss the crisis. The player may well have to miss Saturday's key Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey and he could even face a two-year ban from all football, but United officials are understood to be furious at the turn of events and are believed to have threatened legal action if Ferdinand faces action over what they believe is a technical infringement.

Rio's agent Pini Zahavi

"Ferdinand was asked to take this test on a Sunday, but he could not because he was moving house. He did provide one four days later and it was negative, which is the most important thing. I cannot understand why this is happening. The FA are shooting themselves in the foot if they take the decision to ban him."