Sport 07-10-2003 Rio Ferdinand Faces Drug Ban who: Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand what: Could face crucial England match ban for skipping drugs test where: Istanbul when: Saturday snippet: "Rio Ferdinand was last night facing the axe for England’s crunch game against Turkey in a sensational FA drugs probe," says The Sun. "The Man United star could also be hit with a TWO-YEAR ban from football after failing to show up for a mandatory dope test." "FA officials held talks last night with United representatives to discuss the crisis," says The Telegraph`s Henry Winter. "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." "The Times understands that Ferdinand was among several United players asked to provide a sample at the training ground in the week after the match against Arsenal on September 21," reports Matt Dickinson. "He is claiming that, because he was moving house at the time, he rushed home and forgot. He realised his mistake but, by the time he returned, the testers had departed. He volunteered for another test within 48 hours which proved to be clear." "The Football Association declined to comment on the allegations," says The Guardian, "which emerged after the naming of the squad for the Euro 2004 qualifying match in Istanbul was delayed for the second time in 24 hours." [... more]

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