Manchester City anti-doping charge: FA extends response deadline

Manchester City have been granted additional time to respond to an anti-doping charge from the Football Association (FA).

The club were charged after allegedly failing to make sure the FA’s anti-doping officials knew where players were for drugs testing.

Football clubs are required to provide details of training sessions and players’ whereabouts, ensuring they are available for testing at all times.

Originally City had until today (January 19) to respond, but that deadline has been extended to 4pm next Friday (January 27).

It is alleged that MCFC failed to ensure their information was accurate on three separate occasions.

According to BBC Sport, information was not updated after the club altered their training routines.

The FA operates on a three-strike basis and typically issues fines for breaches of its drugs testing policy.

Barrister Steven Flynn of St Johns Buildings, which has offices in Manchester, Liverpool and elsewhere in the North, commented: “The failure of Manchester City to update their information may seem like a simple administrative mistake, but the FA are likely to take this matter seriously.

“While there has been no suggestion that Manchester City or any of the players have tried to conceal the taking of illicit substances, the whereabout programme underpins the FA’s anti-doping efforts. Any breach of these regulations, regardless of how minor it may appear, undermines the effectiveness of the regime, and the FA have acted swiftly to counter this.”

Speaking further, Mr Flynn said the FA’s powers when it comes to punishment are broad, ranging “from a reprimand or fine all the way up to a points deduction or even expulsion from the organisation itself”.

He continued: “Given that this is the first time that Manchester City have been charged with this type of offence, as well as the administrative nature of the misconduct, a fine appears the most likely punishment.”