Two weeks to Ferdinand D-Day

Rio Ferdinand has two weeks from today to decide whether to appeal against the eight-month ban imposed on him by a three-man disciplinary comission for failing to take a drugs test.

The Manchester United and England centre back’s ban was originally due to start on January 12.

But in line with Football Association regulations, United requested written confirmation of the precise reasons behind the punishment.

United confirmed in a brief statement today that they have received the confirmation.

It read: “Manchester United can confirm that Rio Ferdinand’s lawyers have today received the written reasons for the FA’s decision at the hearing of 19 December 2002.

“The player now has 14 days to decide whether to appeal, and until that decision has been taken no further commment will be made.”

When the FA announced Ferdinand’s ban at a hearing in Bolton on December 19, United director and solicitor Maurice Watkins said an appeal against the “savage and unprecedented” punishment was “inevitable”.

At the weekend, United boss Alex Ferguson said Ferdinand was almost certain to appeal.

If Ferdinand does not appeal he will be able to play up to and including United’s game against Wolves on January 17, and the first fixture he would miss would be the FA Cup fourth-round trip to Northampton or Rotherham.