11 Nov 2008Footballers to face new Olympic-style drug test rules

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance

Top footballers will soon be subjected to similar drug testing regulations as enforced on Olympic athletes, it has been confirmed today (November 11th).

At present, just one player per team is tested at the end of each match, but under the new proposals, 30 players may be required to take another five tests per year.

UK Sport, the agency which runs Britain's anti-doping programme and funds Olympic sport, wants to bring football in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) code.

The move would also see players conform to the 'whereabouts ruling', whereby they must reveal their location for one hour of every day, even during the close season.

However, Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, has expressed his concerns about the plans.

He said: "We feel that to invade the privacy of a player's home would be a step too far.

"If we complain about anything to do with drug testing people think we might have something to hide, but football's record is extremely good and there has been a virtual absence of any performance-enhancing drugs over decades."

Manchester United and England centre-back Rio Ferdinand was banned for nine months for missing a drugs test in 2003 at his club's Carrington training complex.

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