jasey

I have to say I was shocked at the ban he was given but on reflection I'm not sure what choice the FA had.

I guess the message has to be given that you can't mess with drugs tests.

pedro72

Compared to other sports he got off extremely lightly. If he is stupid enough to miss a drugs test he deserves all he gets and that should go for anyone regardless how important he or she may be.

Pedro

image doctor

They should put him behind bars just for being so ugly and thick.

buff

edgar davids and jaap stam only got 5&4 months for actualy testing positive for taking drugs so i think it is unfair....maybe a month or two would have been better.

cfc2

You get told on the training pitch that the testers are here and when you finish training you are told again. And you are normally shadowed until a sample is given, so he must have evaded the shadow (possible there are several exits from the man u training ground) so his evasion was premeditated.
To say you forgot is incredible unless you are extremely thick or have no regard for authority whatsoever and I think the punishment to be harsh enough to deter others from ignoring the testers but not long enough to be detrimental to his career as he is a talented player and has a great future ahead of him.

cfc2

but the two dutch geezers actually took the tests wheras Ferdy did a runner which is worse whose got something to hide or whose the sirry iriot, maybe all of them footballers that is.............

pedro72

Let us not forget that drug testing in football is a bit of a joke - (till now!) and as a sport the loopholes are easier than most to get thru. No one is saying he is guilty for a second, but i think a precedence for firm doping in f/ball has now been set and that must be a good thing.

Chelspeed

Are we talking performance enhancing drugs here or social drugs, coke or whatever. If he's been taking performance enhancing drugs then he's cheating, he got caught, he deserves a ban.

But if this test would have caught coke use which is not performance enhancing, just a lifestyle thing, and he dodged the test 'cos he knew he'd be done then fair play to him, worth a try. In this case the ban seems excessive.

I think we need to differentiate between social and performance enhancing drugs.

AndiThompson

Way, way, way too harsh. 8 months for making a mistake? Sure he should be punished, but he forgot, simple as. To give him double the punishment some of the players who have tested positive in the past have recieved is stupid.

But then, as we all know, the FA are a complete bunch of morons..

JohnMcC

cfc2 - I thought that was the point - in football the testers don't shadow player. they wait in their little room with their pots of wee and wait for the player too shower, get ready etc....Its athletics and stuff like that where the testers virtually drag you from the arena straight to their little room and wait until you need to 'go'.

Not saying he wasnt a bit dumb to forget - he was. But if, as I understand it, he was told several hours prior (before training) and was then not shadowed, it is not inconceivable it could have slipped his mind. I mean, we've all forgotten hugely imprtant things before, I'm sure.

Lets not forget, its not an uncommon thing either (to actually be tested). I know you could argue that therefore it should be routine and he shouldnt forget; but you could also maybe argue that it wasnt an event that would particulalry stick out in his mind - I bet it bloody will now though!!!

I like the idea that, alongside a shorter ban and the fine, he should be regularly tested (after every game even; or once a week at training; or perhaps even better, completely randomly - he would agree to be approached at any time, even away from the club perhaps) - and if he should make a similar mistake again then he would be banned immediately, without a hearing, for a long, long time - 2yrs or whatever.

I also feel that many less scrupulous nations would have made sure that one of their star players was available for the Euro finals.........



[Edited by JohnMcC - 12/21/2003 4:10:12 AM]

buff

the man city player negouai missed his drug test but only got a two grand fine...ferdinand get 8 months!

buff

off topic i can't stand man utd but england missing ferdinand in euro 2004 is a major blow

P1Fanatic

A little harsh I feel but at least it stops the usual "oh its man utd getting let off or given a lenient decision" boll*cks.

From what I have read Rio was booked in for a test and didnt turn up on the specified day. Apparently he was moving house that same day. Not an excuse but not as bad as people on this thread saying "rio saw the testers waiting and did a runner out of the side exit".

I put this more down to the club - they should be making sure their players turn up to these test. If Rio forgets then someone should be calling him etc.

IIRC he took the test 36hrs later and passed so its not a case of him never taking it.

Simon.

Daz34

I do feel there is more to it than him simply forgeting. How can someone disappear & be unobtainable for 36hrs nowadays. For someone in his position it is nigh on impossible. I reckon he knew what he was doing.

Darren

nsld

Cocaine is a performance enhancing drug, hence its inclusion on the IOC banned list. Used in a wide variety of sports to combat fatigue and to help maintain high stress training loads. Used to be a favourite in cycling, often mixed with heroin, amphetamines, corticosteroids and other choice stuff and then injected, know as 'Belgian mix' ( I kid you not)

In 36 hours you can get enough water down your neck to shift the metabolites out of your system if you are not a regular user of cocaine, its the ones with a regular problem who get caught!

P1Fanatic

Daz if no one reminded him that he had missed the test, he rings up and asks for another test appointment and is told tomorrow afternoon then 36hrs is not totally unfeasible.

This is just me thinking of the options, Ive found it quite hard to find some decent info on the whole affair, which is strange considering the publicity its received.

Simon.

Daz34

We don't have all the facts. Allegedly, the club & the drug testers were trying to contact his mobile, which he says was turned off. There is supposed to records which prove this to be a lie. He also said he was busy moving house, but was photographed out shopping. There is a strong smell of bullsh1t in the air but Man U & Ferdy & claiming they have done no wrong.

P1Fanatic

Again its all down to hard facts as opposed to hearsay which is most of the info the papers have. Does seen shopping mean he was at B&Q getting some kit for his new house or does it mean clothes shopping????

Simon.

Chelspeed

NSLD - Fair enough, didn't know that, so comment withdrawn, he was guilty, he was taking the ****, he got stuffed.

3times

Man Utd v The FA. The biggest & richest club in the world against the dated ***** at the FA, I know who I would back.

The club & player would have settled for 3 months and this is what will probably happen at appeal. There is no denying that Rio was an idiot and deserves to be punished but the club, FA and the doping people must share some of the responsibility. The club and the doping people for not making sure he took the test and the FA for not haven any definite proceedures in place ( the FA must also take the blame for this case taking 3 months to be heard).

This case will probably take another year to be settled if Man Utd do not get the result they want at appeal, the FA know this and will not want a long drawn out case.

And before you all start I DO NOT Support the Mancs!!!

smb1

Appeal reduced to 3 months at worse.....Sepp Pratter to get a slap on the wrists for being such a f****** interferin git......

Even better if Rio got of scott free due to outside pestering influences!!!!!

And yes i am a manc.......born in salford...not near the M25!!!

LeighJ

he took the p!ss instead of giving it, he's guilty and a ban is fair.

smb1

Don't disagree he's guilty of 'missing' the test whatever the circumstances......but there's been to much outside interference for the panel to give a 'fair' hearing and a 'fair' sentence with people like Seppy & lawd coe throwin in their ha'pny's worth before a verdict was given.

crowt123

first of all he lied...phone records and pictures proved that....then he listened to the dicks at man u instead of accepting punishment....he should have got 2 years....hope fergies head pops with the blood pressure increase....

Daz34

How can people say he is not guilty!? He was charged with failing to turn up for a drug test. Did he turn up? NO!
The fact he & his club moaned & fought it all the way must have surely counted against him.
He should have been apologetic & pleaded guilty. Simple as that.

Darren

P1Fanatic

No one is denying he isnt guilty but the whole affair stinks to be quite honest. Why when he phoned back up that day they could not arrange a drugs test, either with the testers who had literally left approx 30 mins earlier, or by travelling to a test centre.

It never helps when that tw*t Sepp Blatter gets involved as he is so anti-english football its untrue. 8 months for missing a test when Edgar Davids is found positive and gets 3 months. At least apply some consistency. I think Rio was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the authorities, egged on by the media, decided to show their authority. Next player who mucks up cant really complain as this has been such a public example.

Simon.

cfc2

I've read all what has been said and as I have been in both buisnesses track and field and soccer, yes the testing is poor in football,, some clubs don't like their players being tested especially the really big players like him. And if it's a social drug they will as most managers do when they are playing, protect their players guilty or not guilty. Now it's easy for the club to ensure that the player turns up for the drug test just as easy as it is for them to make sure he doesn't, but to just not turn up and then realise that he's missed it and take a test 36 hours later stinks to high heaven this is not a hair appointment these r drug testers they have the power to take lumps out of your career, if youve got nothing to hide **** in the bottle. The whole situation is tragic cause he's a quality player ( but indispensible..... John Terry isn't a poor replacement).There have been other cases yes but this is the first big boy that has done this a precedent has be set to deter others. Drug testers should be feared now i think they will be...........GOOD !!

jasey

Vodafone have introduced a new handset called the RIO.
It's big, black and ugly, has no memory and it takes
three months to charge the f*cker.

RichWalk

Hes either been snorting coke or as a M8 just told me ,on his way to the clap clinic so was too scared to submit anything!!

IMHO hes Man Utd who get away with bleedin murder on the pitch so throw the book at him- might start to readress the balance- ask Alan Shearer!