Rio Farce Continues with Ban Date Likely to Move
Rio Farce Continues
By Chris O'Brien
January 2 2004
The Rio Ferdinand saga, quickly turning into a farce, has had yet another twist. The date the 8-month ban officially starts is set to begin due to a delay in Manchester United receiving formal clarification documentation. This means Ferdinand may be able for a further two fixtures in January.
| Rio Farce Continues with Ban Date Likely to Move |
| Rio Ferdinand could still be able to
play for Manchester United after January 12th, the date his 8-month ban for
missing a random drugs test officially started. United have requested formal clarification and still have the right to appeal against the ban within 14 days of receiving that documentation, meaning the ban would be likely to start after the original proposed date. The club have not yet received this documentation, and due to the break over the Christmas and New Year period, they are not expected to arrive until next week. "We're still awaiting the documentation from the FA - and apparently it won't arrive until next week," said Sir Alex Ferguson "We've been waiting now for over two weeks. "It's not helping the player but Rio's handling it well. He's got a great temperament - I just hope it continues that way." The extended date of when the ban begins means that Ferdinand would be able to play in the possible F.A Cup replay against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, and the visit to Wolves on January 17th. This twist in the saga of Rio Ferdinand is only going to mean the whole things drags on further and further. It is likely that United's appeal may not be heard until March, and there will undoubtedly be more complications before that date! The hearing took over three months to take place, and the farce looks set to continue for the next couple of months at least. One thing is for certain, Sir Alex Ferguson will continue to select Rio Ferdinand for as long as possible. I just hope the £30million man can concentrate on matters on the pitch with all the agro and media spotlight currently surrounding the defender. |