Rio Ferdinand failed to attend a routine drug test and has now been left out of the England Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey. There are reports that some England players have threatened to go home if Rio is not reinstated. What?s it got to do with Arsenal? Nothing at this stage.
Rio has not been found guilty of taking enhancement performing drugs, he failed to turn up for a random test because his mind was on moving house.
Because of this excuse, many, including his England team mates, are calling for him to be let off. This should not be allowed to happen. The message it will send out to any player considering cheating in this way, would be ?don?t worry, tell the testers you forgot?.
Rio may be totally innocent, but his actions have raised many questions.
As for the England players threatening to strike. Overpaid b?stards the lot of them. Send them home and bring in players who would consider it an honour, and if we fail to qualify the striking players will be rightly castigated. If we make it, the replacement players will be treated as footballing heroes.
The game is getting negative publicity in England because of the actions of a handful of players, as I write two Leeds players are being interviewed about the sexual assault of a woman on Monday night. The FA must stand up and be counted and not allow the protestations of some England players and ManUre to influence the correct course of action.
3 Responses to “Rio Drug Test”
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October 8th, 2003 at 4:58 pm
Crisis time to be a Gunner or Support England
The whole Rio thing is just a big Joke and before then the players threaten to boycott the game. Am not the only one thinking that if this game go head in Turkey there will be troubles in and around the Field.
We might all agree and disagree about the on going debate with regards to the Beautiful Game, Since the Battle of Old Trafford there had been more stories coming from England than Iraq.
People in England are now upset about the players? stupid stands. It was a joke thinking about boycotting the game. Did they really taught about it. Now the country is supporting the FA for what the players did. It might sound funny but United are going to benefit here whiles Arsenal get done. WHY
Arsenal faces the FA, which I guess is next week in the midst of all the mess. This is going to hurt Arsenal very hard when the 6 players facing charges face the FA, because I can bet on this that the media and the whole country are going to demand some answers. People will love to see something done to protect the game and with Arsenal somehow record this is the wrong time facing the damage FA. They will make a stand soon and it don?t look good.
Now Sol had been fine $20,000, which I think, is a let off due to the pressure the FA was down before this mess so you think what will happen next.
October 8th, 2003 at 5:37 pm
Personally I don’t know what the fuss is about. Rio’s not that great a centre half. Whomever is selected in his place will do fine I’m sure.
So he missed a drug test. Have some sympathy for him - he was probably late for a gang bang.
October 8th, 2003 at 5:50 pm
Rio is a pretty damned good defender…
don’t kid yourself… he would play nicely next to Sol… and I’d rather have him than ANY Arsenal defender… bar Sol Campbell…
not sure why we as Arsenal supporters like to downplay the skills of Man.Utd players… they are loaded with talent…