The FA Drug Testing Programme

• All tests are carried out randomly, however, there is provision in the guidelines for The FA to 'target' a player if this is requested by his club or P.F.A. and where there is significant evidence to do so.
  
  
• The Football Association works to a comprehensive set of Memoranda and Procedural Guidelines. There is a very tight set of Guidelines, Rules and Regulations covering this important area. In addition to this, guidelines regarding disciplinary sanctions for offending players have been formulated.
  
  
• The FA Doping Control Programme is carried out in conjunction with the UK Sports Council Doping Control Unit.
  
  
• It is important to have an independent outside body rather than totally control sample collection and selection of games as the governing body.
  
  
• All matches, training sessions and players are randomly selected for testing and at each visit two or three Independent Sampling Officers (ISO's) from The Sports Council are accompanied by an FA Supervising Officer who is either a Doctor or Physiotherapist approved by The FA.
  
  
• The role of the FA representative is to ensure full co-operation from the player and club involved, to explain the rules and procedures to players and officials where necessary and to check all the paperwork completed out by the Sampling Officers is in order.
  
  
• A further role is to excuse a player from a testing 'event' on medical grounds, where a significant injury requires a player to attend hospital immediately.
  
  
• For 'In Competition' testing at a game, the drug testing team arrive unannounced at the chosen club. Two players are selected from each Club at random during the half time interval.
  
  
• After the game, the players are directed to a sample collection area (room with toilet facilities). The sample collection procedure is explained to the players and carried out in accordance with the drug testing guidelines.
  
  
• The Sampling Officer(s) will collect the urine samples and organise the despatch of these samples to the IOC accredited laboratory for analysis. The results of the comprehensive analysis of samples are forwarded to the Administrator of the FA Doping Control Programme privately and confidentially.
  
  
• In the case of a positive find, a separate procedure is put into action. The FA Chief Executive, The Professional Footballers Association (Union) and the FA Compliance Department are informed of the find.
  
  
• If a player's positive find is for performance enhancing drugs, it is highly likely that he will be charged with misconduct for bringing the game into disrepute and would appear before an FA Disciplinary Commission.
  
  
• If the player's positive find is for any prohibited substance, The FA would seek an interview with the player. Depending on the outcome of the interview the player may be charged with misconduct and ordered to appear before an FA Disciplinary Commission.
  
  

The FA Disciplinary Commission may take one or more of the following actions:-
- No action is to be taken
- A warning as to future conduct
- Punitive sanctions against the player (ban)
- Request a clinical assessment of the player

Decide that the player will receive:-
- Counselling
- Treatment
- And/or rehabilitation for the condition
- Probationary target testing following treatment or rehabilitation (if required).

Results of the FA Doping Control Programme