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Rio Ferdinand's European Championship dream lies in ruins after his eight-month ban for a missed drugs test was upheld.
While the independent three-man panel who heard Ferdinand's appeal against the sentence initially handed down on December 19 were content the Manchester United defender did not avoid the test for 'drug-related' reasons, they dismissed his challenge to the verdict and punishment.
In also throwing out the Football Association's counter contention that the ban should be increased to 12 months, the panel, chaired by Ian Mill QC, confirmed that the suspension should stand.
It means Ferdinand, who opted to begin his suspension four days after announcing his intention to appeal, will be banned from football until September 20.
Not only does it end the defender's chances of returning to aid Manchester United's ailing campaign, it also means he will not be available to England in Portugal this summer or for their World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Poland early next season.
Ferdinand had begun the day by claiming the prospect of playing for England in Euro 2004 had kept him going during the past two months, but now that hope has been dashed, he faces a bleak six months on the sidelines.
"Having considered the matter very fully, the appeal board has today dismissed Mr Ferdinand's appeals, both against conviction and against sanction," said Nick Barron, spokesman for the panel, which also contained FA chairman Geoff Thompson and FA councillor Roger Burden.
"It has also rejected the FA's contention that the period of suspension should be increased.
"In reaching its conclusions, the Appeal Board discounted the possibility that Mr Ferdinand's reasons for not taking the test were drug-related.
"Accordingly, Mr Ferdinand will remain suspended until September 20, 2004."
The news will be a massive blow to Ferdinand and the United contingent, led today by club director and lawyer Maurice Watkins.
They had provided an analysis of Ferdinand's hair folicles to prove the record £29.3million signing had not taken drugs but in the end, the panel decided the evidence was irrelevant.
After hearing three hours of submissions, Mill and his team retired to consider their verdict at 3.15pm and delivered their crushing blow to Ferdinand just over two and a half hours later.
The defender must now consider his next course of action and has the option of taking his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
With Watkins describing the initial verdict as 'savage and unprecedented', there remains the possibility the 25-year-old former Leeds and West Ham star might decide to pursue the matter.
However, with high-profile figures such as FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Olympic gold medal winner Seb Coe declaring their belief that Ferdinand has got off lightly, the could just as easily opt to cut his losses and accept the punishment.
In any event, Ferdinand's failure to attend the mandatory test at United's Carrington training ground on September 23 has proved to be a costly error.
In his absence, the Red Devils have slipped 12 points behind Premiership leaders Arsenal and also been knocked out of the Champions League by unfancied Portuguese outfit Porto.
They have conceded 20 goals in their last 10 games, during which time manager Sir Alex Ferguson has come under increasing attack for failing to secure a replacement for Ferdinand.
http://www4.sbs.com.au/home/index.php3?id=44480
While the independent three-man panel who heard Ferdinand's appeal against the sentence initially handed down on December 19 were content the Manchester United defender did not avoid the test for 'drug-related' reasons, they dismissed his challenge to the verdict and punishment.
In also throwing out the Football Association's counter contention that the ban should be increased to 12 months, the panel, chaired by Ian Mill QC, confirmed that the suspension should stand.
It means Ferdinand, who opted to begin his suspension four days after announcing his intention to appeal, will be banned from football until September 20.
Not only does it end the defender's chances of returning to aid Manchester United's ailing campaign, it also means he will not be available to England in Portugal this summer or for their World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Poland early next season.
Ferdinand had begun the day by claiming the prospect of playing for England in Euro 2004 had kept him going during the past two months, but now that hope has been dashed, he faces a bleak six months on the sidelines.
"Having considered the matter very fully, the appeal board has today dismissed Mr Ferdinand's appeals, both against conviction and against sanction," said Nick Barron, spokesman for the panel, which also contained FA chairman Geoff Thompson and FA councillor Roger Burden.
"It has also rejected the FA's contention that the period of suspension should be increased.
"In reaching its conclusions, the Appeal Board discounted the possibility that Mr Ferdinand's reasons for not taking the test were drug-related.
"Accordingly, Mr Ferdinand will remain suspended until September 20, 2004."
The news will be a massive blow to Ferdinand and the United contingent, led today by club director and lawyer Maurice Watkins.
They had provided an analysis of Ferdinand's hair folicles to prove the record £29.3million signing had not taken drugs but in the end, the panel decided the evidence was irrelevant.
After hearing three hours of submissions, Mill and his team retired to consider their verdict at 3.15pm and delivered their crushing blow to Ferdinand just over two and a half hours later.
The defender must now consider his next course of action and has the option of taking his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
With Watkins describing the initial verdict as 'savage and unprecedented', there remains the possibility the 25-year-old former Leeds and West Ham star might decide to pursue the matter.
However, with high-profile figures such as FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Olympic gold medal winner Seb Coe declaring their belief that Ferdinand has got off lightly, the could just as easily opt to cut his losses and accept the punishment.
In any event, Ferdinand's failure to attend the mandatory test at United's Carrington training ground on September 23 has proved to be a costly error.
In his absence, the Red Devils have slipped 12 points behind Premiership leaders Arsenal and also been knocked out of the Champions League by unfancied Portuguese outfit Porto.
They have conceded 20 goals in their last 10 games, during which time manager Sir Alex Ferguson has come under increasing attack for failing to secure a replacement for Ferdinand.
http://www4.sbs.com.au/home/index.php3?id=44480
