FA drug testing procedures for soccer players

[intell]

The FA drug testing protocol is not without its flaws. The testers arrive unannounced at a club's training ground and ask the medical personnel for a list of all the players in training that day and from that list they select four by allocating numbers and drawing them from the bag. The four are then summoned to the drug testing room from the training pitch. The players are not forcibly restrained and it is possible for them to wander off. Obviously they are instructed not to do so; it's their responsibility to comply and provide a sample. The key point is that the urine sample they provide is done under the supervision of the drug testers. Of the 1000 tests done each season there are less than 10 positives each season, the majority of which are young players who have foolishly used recreational drugs. Apart from the flaws detailed above, the biggest problem is that the FA drug testing set up appears to be a token gesture. There aren't enough tests done and as you know they aren't being thorough enough by just taking urine samples. The chances of being selected for a test are really quite slim compared to other sports.

Unless the biggest league in the world shows itself to be whiter than white; or more to the point, takes doping control seriously then the sport is in serious trouble.

[injuryupdate]

The FA drug testing protocol is not without its flaws. The testers arrive unannounced at a club's training ground and ask the medical personnel for a list of all the players in training that day and from that list they select four by allocating numbers and drawing them from the bag. The four are then summoned to the drug testing room from the training pitch. The players are not forcibly restrained and it is possible for them to wander off. Obviously they are instructed not to do so; it's their responsibility to comply and provide a sample. The key point is that the urine sample they provide is done under the supervision of the drug testers. Of the 1000 tests done each season there are less than 10 positives each season, the majority of which are young players who have foolishly used recreational drugs. Apart from the flaws detailed above, the biggest problem is that the FA drug testing set up appears to be a token gesture. There aren't enough tests done and as you know they aren't being thorough enough by just taking urine samples. The chances of being selected for a test are really quite slim compared to other sports.

Unless the biggest league in the world shows itself to be whiter than white; or more to the point, takes doping control seriously then the sport is in serious trouble.

Our view on the Ferdinand case is that both the player and association need to be punished, the player with a suspension and the FA with far more public humiliation than they are currently receiving for having inadequate testing procedures. The best move for the FA is to apologise, but not to excuse Ferdinand, and immediately implement measures so the situation could never be repeated, and make a clear policy statement that a refusal to test will receive an automatic major suspension.

[injuryupdate]

The international protest at the lenient treatment of Rio Ferdinand has gathered voice. Sepp Blatter of FIFA and world doping experts have all agreed with our assessment that a serious punishment is appropriate. Yet Man U continues to play him rather than stand him down until the matter is settled.

[injuryupdate]

It is amazing that we are two months down the track and a verdict on Ferdinand's drug no-show is still to be handed down. This makes the FA shoot to number one in an arbitrary drugs hypocrisy list for 2003, ahead of the IRB (continuing to keep local anaesthetics as illegal without testing for them and when they are widely used) and the USA Track & Field administration (lifetime achievement award).

[injuryupdate]

Finally we have a verdict which is a reasonable punishment for a serious breach of rules. Let's hope the appeal upholds the verdict.

[injuryupdate]

Rio Ferdinand, one of the top players in the world's most high profile team sport, has been given an eight month suspension following his failure to take a drug test three months ago. Recent reports suggest he may accept rather than appeal this suspension. Read more at Foxsports and at physioroom.com. Although this hearing was farcical in the length of time that it took to occur and that Ferdinand continued to play for Manchester united whilst under charge, it signals a coming of age for the Football Association in terms of being tough on drug use. There are many analogies with the Shane Warne suspension in cricket, in that both of these players are superstars who appeared to be guilty not necessarily of trying to obtain a performance enhancement but instead of disregard for the importance of the drug code in their respective sports. In the Warne case, although he was guilty of taking a masking agent, most neutral observers believe that he was probably not trying to mask illicit drug use but that he arrogantly ignored warnings given to all players about checking tablets that were not prescribed by team medical officials. The Ferdinand case is similar in that there is only a very small likelihood that the player was avoiding a test because of the presence of a significant performance enhancing agent, but it is beyond doubt that he had complete disrespect for the drug testing process by 'forgetting' to attend a test after training. Both of these players have now been made sacrificial lambs, but for the greater good, in that all players, whether they are champions or fringe players, must at all times show respect for the drug testing process. In the Ferdinand case, the FA should not be absolved of blame and needs a strong reprimand for their drug testers ever letting a player out of their sight. The fight to make sporting bodies treat the drug issue seriously continues - an example is illustrated below, where the International Rugby Board officially outlaws local anaesthetic injections but does not test for their use, which probably leads to the law being widely flaunted and undermines the IRB's doping code.