FIFA keep tabs on Mutu case

FIFA will keep a watchful eye on the Adrian Mutu case to ensure the Football Association impose a minimum six-month ban on the Chelsea striker should claims that he has tested positive for cocaine be proven.

The Romanian international, whose future at Chelsea was already uncertain after a bust-up with manager Jose Mourinho, returned to London today to await the result of a B sample.

It has been confirmed to the Press Association that the substance was not performance-enhancing but linked to social drug use, and there have been claims that the substance involved was cocaine.

If, as is almost certain, the B sample confirms the positive finding then the FA will hold a disciplinary hearing.

In those circumstances the organisation would have to impose a suspension of between six months and two years as well as a fine - if they were any more lenient the FA themselves could be fined by FIFA for contravening their guidelines.

A FIFA source told the Press Association: "We are taking the fight against doping very seriously and the minimum suspension of six months and a fine is made clear in FIFA's disciplinary code.

"We fined three associations - in France, Italy and the Netherlands - earlier this month for failing to adhere to those basic stipulations.

"Should any other national association not follow those stipulations they will almost certainly be fined too."

Mutu and his representatives are now waiting for the result of the B sample, which could be made available this week, but anti-doping experts say is virtually certain to confirm the original finding.

The player's agent Andrea Pretti confirmed the Romanian international has returned to London after spending the last few days in Italy and is being joined by another representative, Victor Becali.

Pretti told the Press Association: "You can imagine how the player feels. He already had technical problems at Chelsea and now this has just made it even worse.

"Until this situation is cleared up what his future will be is secondary.

"The English FA and Chelsea have acted correctly as they should be in this situation, and that they will not release a statement until a counter-analysis has been carried out.

"The player is in London - he had spent a couple of days in Italy but he's returned to the English capital.

"We are awaiting the counter-analysis and until then we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

"We don't think it will take long for things to happen, possibly a couple of days."

The Professional Footballers' Association have been in touch with the player and will have a representative present at his disciplinary hearing.

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor, in South Africa for a conference of the international players' union FIFPro, expressed his disappointment at the case.

Taylor told the Press Association: "I am disappointed for two reasons, one that we have had a positive test concerning a footballer and two that it has got out into the public domain before there has been a hearing with the player.

"We have been made aware of the positive test by the FA and have been in touch with the player with regard to his hearing."

The Football Association have refused to comment but have tightened their doping programme after Rio Ferdinand's missed drugs test in 2003.

In July it was announced the FA planned to increase the number of tests in the 2004-05 season by 20% after a review by Lord Coe.

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was at first suspended by the club after testing positive for cocaine and later sacked when his B test confirmed that finding.

Meanwhile, anti-doping expert Michele Verroken said it was very unlikely Mutu's B sample would do anything other than confirm the original finding.

Verroken, former head of UK Sport's anti-doping agency, said: "The B sample, in my experience, has never, ever done anything else but follow the A sample.

"In my experience counter-analysis has never, ever countered the result of the A sample so it really is almost a foregone conclusion unless there's been a real mistake by either the testing agencies or the analytical organisation.

"In many respects I think we're facing this player going to a hearing which is obviously very sad news for him."