DON’T COMPARE CITY DRUG CASE TO RIO’S

Gary Neville has waded into the Football association doping debate, contrasting rio Ferdinand’s eightmonth ban for a missed test with the £35,000 fine given to Manchester City for three ‘whereabouts’ failures.

‘Should have followed through with the strike,’ he said.

Neville leaves out one important fact, however: The Fa didn’t believe Ferdinand. rightly or wrongly, they thought he knew what he was doing and had wilfully refused a test, rather than simply missed one.

This is a far more serious offence and the 37-page report doubted his evidence and explanation. By comparison, the leniency of City’s sentence suggests an acceptance of some- thing akin to a clerical error. This may leave the Fa open to cunning exploitation, but it at least explains the inconsistency.

What is clear, however, is that the rules need to be tightened. Bournemouth are the latest who look to have contravened, and the Fa admit privately that the guidelines over drug offences — that recommend fines, rather than points deductions — are inadequate.

What is puzzling is why it takes a finite case for this to come to light. Why can’t members of the Fa’s legal team go through the rulebook, unearthing and highlighting areas of weakness in advance?

That way, they don’t get caught out again; and again; and again...