1. A problem for society?

The risk of young people in England being exposed to social drugs is arguably greater than at any time in history with statistics showing children beginning to experiment with illegal substances from as young as eight years old. Despite considerable efforts by the government and various charity programmes to tackle drug misuse, for the foreseeable future, social drug use is likely to continue to be a significant problem for young people in England.

The following statistics from recent surveys show the prevalence of drug use amongst young people in England and Wales:

Adults ages 16-24

  • 45.8% of young people within this age group had used one or more illicit drugs at least once in their lifetime.
  • 15.8% of young people within this age group had used a Class A drug at least once in their lifetime
  • The most commonly taken substance was cannabis (23.5%) followed by cocaine (5%) and ecstasy (5%)

Figures taken from: Home Office Statistical Bulletin ‘Drug Misuse Declared: Findings from the 2004/05 British Crime Survey (Stephen Roe, Crown Copyright 2005)

Secondary Schoolchildren from ages 11-15

  • 21% of pupils had taken drugs in the last year
  • 13% of pupils had taken cannabis in the last year
  • 4% had taken class A drugs in the last year

Figures taken from: National Centre for Social research/National Foundation for Educational Research, ‘Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England in 2003’

Clearly the above information relates to society as a whole and therefore no direct correlation can be made with footballers of the same age. However, there can be little doubt that all players covered by the Football Association Doping Control Programme will be exposed to social drugs in the same way as any other schoolchild or adult in the UK. Indeed in some cases, the risks of drug misuse for footballers may be greater due to the significant wealth and social status of players in this country.

What is a ‘social’ drug?

The Football Association uses the term ‘social drug’ to refer to any illegal drug (as defined by the Misuse of Drugs Act) that may be used by a player and which may be harmful to their short or long-term health as a footballer. There are several reasons for keeping football free from social drugs:

To prevent players from causing long or short term damage to their health through the use of illegal substances.

To identify misuse and the causes of misuse. Evidence has shown that appropriate treatment can help players before use and/or eventual addiction begins to jeopardise their career.

To protect the reputation and integrity of the game, for players, officials and supporters.

Players who train under the influence of illegal drugs could potentially harm the health of other players, (e.g. through misjudged tackles).

The current FA Doping Control Regulations prohibit the use of the following social drugs in football:

  • amphetamine
  • cannabinoids (e.g. hashish, marijuana)
  • cocaine
  • diamorphine (heroin)
  • lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
  • methadone
  • methylamphetamine,
  • methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy)
  • methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA)

The type of substances detected under the FA social drugs programme are regularly reviewed with assistance from the Kings College World-Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Accredited Laboratory, UK Sport, and various specialist drugs groups such as Lifeline. This ensures that any new drugs entering the market and therefore potentially available to players, can be included in the FA Social Drug screen and can be detected if misused by players.

3. Social drug findings in English football

Cannabinoids are the substances most commonly detected through the FA Doping Control Programme, followed by cocaine and amphetamines. These results mirror those of all recent studies of drug use in the UK which indicate these three substances to be the three most regularly used by members of the general public. What this clearly shows is that social drugs are used by certain players in English football, and that some players will continue to use these drugs despite the various risks highlighted through the FA and PFA education programmes.

The graph below (Fig 1) shows the total number of positive findings for the three most commonly detected social drugs as a percentage of total tests conducted by The FA since 1994-1995 Season.

Fig 1 - Total number of positive findings for cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy as a percentage of total tests conducted by The FA since 1994-1995 Season


4. Disciplinary and Sanctions

As an affiliated member of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), The Football Association is required to ensure that its list of prohibited substances includes at least all substances detailed in the FIFA Prohibited Substances list. Furthermore, all sanctions listed in FIFA Doping Control regulations must be mirrored in The Football Association Doping Control Regulations to ensure that if a player tests positive in an FA competition, they will receive the same minimum sanction as if they were competing in a FIFA competition. All FIFA member federations must comply with this requirement to ensure parity in sanctions across the world.

Therefore, all substances prohibited under both FA and FIFA regulations will carry the same minimum sanction. However, for social drugs not included in the FIFA prohibited substances list (usually social drugs detected out-of-competition), the FA impose sanctions according to Regulation 35 of FA Doping Control Regulations.

The following table illustrates the prohibited status of three common types of social drug according to FA and FIFA Doping Control Regulations:

Substance

In FA Regulations

In FIFA Regulations

In-Competition Out-of-Competiton In-Competition Out-of-Competiton

Cannabis

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Cocaine

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

LSD

Yes

Yes

No

No

The relevant sanctions for doping control rule violations are listed in part six of the current FA Doping Control Regulations; “Penalties for a Doping Offence committed by a Player” (clauses 34-38). 5. Treatment and Rehabilitation

One of the main purposes of the FA Social Drugs programme is to keep the game free from drug misuse and to ensure that players do not jeopardise their future career through addiction to illegal substances. This may be either through the substance affecting a player’s performance at training or on the field of play, or by risking their reputation through media exposure of a drug problem or positive test. However, despite the extensive dissemination of drugs education to players by both The FA and PFA, it is inevitable that some players will still misuse illegal substances and be caught by a drug test.

For any player who incurs a positive test for a social drug, an appropriate sanction may be imposed according to the FA Doping Control Regulations in force at the time. However, in addition to sanctions, the FA also has a comprehensive system in place to help identify whether the player has an addictive problem and/or whether the player’s drug misuse is due to factors such as their lifestyle, or social circle. This enables The FA to determine whether the player needs help with addiction, or needs to make changes to their lifestyle in order to avoid the misuse of drugs in future (or both).

Once a disciplinary decision has been made, in addition to any sanctions imposed, a player may be sent to any one of a number of FA-approved specialists in drug misuse and addiction to determine whether a course of rehabilitation is appropriate. If so, the player may be required to undergo a rehabilitation programme as part of the conditions of their return to/continued participation in football. Should the player fail to complete the programme to the satisfaction of The Football Association, the sanction imposed may be reviewed and possibly extended.

The player rehabilitation programme is run in close consultation with the Professional Footballers Association, which helps to ensure that players are given the best support possible should they be found to have a serious drug problem.

6. Reinstatement Target Testing

In most cases, the sanction imposed on a player who has returned a positive test for a social drug will also be conditional on the player successfully completing a programme of random no-notice tests (including if the sentence is suspended). This helps the FA to measure the success of any rehabilitation programme for a player with an addictive problem, and continued target testing ensures that the player does not return to previous patterns of drug use. Also, if a player has deliberately deceived the Disciplinary Commission about their drug use to justify the imposition of a lesser sanction, continued target testing will help detect whether the player does indeed have a drug problem that was not disclosed.

Any player who tests positive as the result of a reinstatement target test will be required to return before The FA Disciplinary Commission and will be likely to face a more severe sanction or the imposition of any suspended ban.

7. Reporting of Results

The name of any player incurring a positive test for a performance enhancing drug must be reported by UK Sport within 20 days of the FA Disciplinary Commission determining that an anti-doping rule violation has occurred. This is if the substance is included in the FIFA list of prohibited substances. If the substance detected is not included in the FIFA list (eg. a cocaine finding out-of-competition), UK Sport are not required to reveal the name of the player and the decision is therefore at the discretion of The FA.

Wherever possible, The FA, PFA and UK Sport will attempt to maintain confidentiality for all players who test positive for a social drug not included in the FIFA list of prohibited substances. As rehabilitation is an integral part of the FA Social Drugs Programme, it is often likely to have a negative effect on a player’s rehabilitation if the details of the positive test are made public. In many cases, players may be suffering from psychological conditions or addictive tendencies and revealing the name of the player is unlikely to assist the efforts of medical specialists, The FA and PFA in the player’s rehabilitation process.