Rio seeks personal hearing from FA

RIO FERDINAND will seek a personal FA hearing on charges of failing to take a doping test, a move that could delay a decision on his fate for weeks, Manchester United confirmed last night.

“We said at the time the charge was announced that Rio would be seeking a personal hearing and that has not changed,” said a United spokeswoman Ferdinand was charged with a breach of the FA’s doping regulations on October 29 and given two weeks to respond That first deadline expires today but no sanctions will be announced until the personal hearing has been held. The FA has already been criticised by FIFA president Sepp Blatter and World Anti-Doping Agency chairman Dick Pound over the length of time it has taken to deal with the case.

Ferdinand will seek to explain at a personal hearing why he left United’s training ground on September 23 when UK Sport’s doping control officers were waiting for him to provide a urine sample.