Ferdinand holds out hope

REPENTANT Rio Ferdinand has thrown his European Championship dream at the mercy of a three-man Football Association appeals panel.

The Manchester United defender last night announced he intends to challenge his eight-month ban for a missed drugs test but crucially confirmed he would start his suspension on Monday anyway.

In what will be constituted as a stepdown after the aggressive tone Ferdinand and the Old Trafford camp have previously adopted in the four-month long saga, the £29.3million record signing also offered a formal apology for his ‘mistake’.

His decision is based on the acceptance that when the case is eventually resolved, he is bound to receive some kind of suspension. By starting it after today’s Premiership encounter with Wolves, Ferdinand knows that any reduction in the punishment would enhance his chances of playing for England in Portugal this summer.

Depending on whether Ferdinand’s legal team offers new evidence, an FA panel could convene within a fortnight to determine the Londoner’s fate.

As it presently stands, the former Leeds and West Ham star will be out of the game until September 20.

However, with Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side due to begin their Euro 2004 campaign against France in Lisbon on June 13, Ferdinand knows if his current suspension is halved, he would be clear to play.

“I want to get back playing for Manchester United and England as soon as possible and if starting the suspension now will help, then I am prepared to suffer it,” he said.

“I feel strongly that I have given an honest account of the circumstances which led to my mistake and I believe that the verdict and the ban are wrong.

“I would like to apologise for my oversight in missing my drugs test. I have previously made it clear that I condemn the use of drugs in any circumstances but especially in sport and I intend to continue helping to spread this message during and after any period of suspension that I have to serve.”

Old Trafford officials have confirmed they are fully behind Ferdinand’s decision and will continue to back him throughout the appeals process.

A notice of appeal will be lodged with the Football Association on Monday, after which the governing body will set up another three-man panel, chaired by a legally qualified non-FA representative to determine Ferdinand’s fate.

The severity of the sentence dished out by the original three- man panel in Bolton on December 19 surprised most observers, who had anticipated a three-month ban.

At the time, United director and Ferdinand’s legal adviser Maurice Watkins, described the punishment as “savage”.

The player’s supporters pointed to the £2,000 fine imposed on Manchester City’s Christian Negouai in a similar case earlier in the year as evidence that the punishment was excessive.

However, FA chief executive Mark Palios has vowed to clean up the game and Ferdinand is taking a risk by appealing because there is a possibility that the punishment could be increased.

Despite the threat of intervention by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, an increase beyond eight months appears unlikely.

What all parties will hope for is a speedy resolution to a case which dates back to September 23 and almost led to a strike by England players when Ferdinand was omitted from the crucial qualifying tie with Turkey in Istanbul.

Players’ union boss Gordon Taylor has already led the calls for a complete overhaul of soccer’s drug testing procedures and, in backing Ferdinand’s appeal, Manchester United chief executive David Gill has done the same.