Rio to appeal eight-month ban

Rio Ferdinand will appeal against an eight-month ban – branded “savage and unprecedented” by his club – for failing to take a drugs test.

The world’s costliest defender has been rocked by the sentence, which rules him out of the remainder of Manchester United’s club campaign, the first month of the next Premiership season – due to commence on August 14 – next summer’s European Championships and almost certainly the first two World Cup qualifiers.

Ferdinand has also been handed a £50,000 (€71,333) fine, although the cash pales into insignificance alongside the massive suspension, just a month short of the ban Eric Cantona received when he launched himself into the crowd at Selhurst Park in 1996.

The player stood in shock alongside United director Maurice Watkins who said an appeal was “inevitable”.

However, unless it is successful, the 25-year-old, who cost £29.3m (€41.8m) when he signed from Leeds 18 months ago, knows his United and England careers will have suffered a major setback.

“We are extremely disappointed by the result of this case,” said Watkins. “In particular by the savage and unprecedented sentence which makes an appeal inevitable.

“I can confirm Rio has the full support of Manchester United and the Professional Footballers’ Association.”

After 18 hours’ deliberations over two days, the independent three-man panel, headed by Barry Bright, remained unmoved over Ferdinand’s argument, despite supporting evidence given by Sir Alex Ferguson, Nicky Butt and Eyal Berkovic.

“The disciplinary commission has unanimously found the charge was proved against Rio Ferdinand,” said Nick Barron, spokesman for the three-man commission.

“It was further decided that he will be suspended for a period of eight months with effect from Monday, 12 January 2004 and be fined the sum of £50,000.

“Having requested a personal hearing he was ordered to pay the full costs of the hearing. Such decisions are subject to the right of appeal.”

Ferdinand has until January 5 to lodge an appeal.

If there were no appeal he could play on for United up to and including their Premiership match at home to Newcastle on Sunday, January 11.

Ferguson has already confirmed his intention to play the England central defender against Tottenham on Sunday, although there has to be a doubt over his mental capacity to play in the game after suffering such an unexpected setback.

The decision will also be greeted with acute dismay by England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who provided a written character statement for the player.

The Swede argued against Ferdinand being forced out of the vital qualifier with Turkey when the controversy first erupted over the defender’s failure to take the test on September 23.

Ferdinand claimed to have merely forgotten to take the test and is believed to have provided evidence that he offered to return to Carrington to provide the necessary sample within two hours.

He is believed to have provided evidence that at least one tester remained on site when he made his offer, which was rejected.

Bright and his panel apparently dismissed the argument out of hand, even though Ferdinand provided a negative urine sample within two days and has never previously tested positive in his entire career.

Neither were they swayed by Ferdinand’s claim that a precedent for such cases had been set by their treatment of Manchester City’s Christian Negouai, who only received a £2,000 (€2,853) fine for a similar indiscretion earlier in the year.

Of more influence may have been the warnings of FIFA president Sepp Blatter and the rest of the sporting world, who were demanding a heavy punishment.

Dick Pound, chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency, has already warned Ferdinand against the idea of an appeal.

“He should be careful about appeal because the sentence could be increased,” the Canadian told BBC News 24.

“He has done very well to get what he has got.”

Ferdinand could have received a maximum two-year suspension for the offence but even this afternoon United were anticipating nothing more than a fine.

Ferguson appeared jovial as he left the Reebok Stadium, 90 minutes after his arrival, and had earlier lambasted Blatter for his frequent interventions.

“It is very unfortunate that a man in his position would want to interfere in this way,” said Ferguson.

“No-one is happy in England with what he has been saying.”

It is debatable whether Ferguson is accurate in that assertion but there can be little doubt no-one at Old Trafford will be happy with the conclusion Bright and his panel reached tonight.