THE RIO ROW RUMBLES ON, AND ON, AND ON…
Last updated : 15 December 2003 By Editor
Mark Palios has ruled out any intervention from Blatter or
FIFA; speaking on Breakfast with Frost he said:
“The situation is that we are applying the rules and
regulations that we have and it will be entirely
unprecedented for FIFA to intervene in the way suggested. As
a consequence we believe that that will be the situation and
they won't intervene.
“The independent commission, which sits on Friday, makes the
decision, which the FA has to accept, and Manchester United
can then appeal against that. There are rules and
regulations. We're applying them and for Sepp Blatter to
intervene in the way that has been suggested in the press
would be unprecedented.”
Meanwhile the PFA are threatening to pull out of the UK
Sport testing program. Gordon Taylor told Radio 5 Live:
“Rio Ferdinand has been presumed guilty before he has been
given a chance to prove his innocence. It is not like
drinking and driving where the alcohol can be flushed out of
your system. There were ways to find out whether he was
taking drugs - he could have been target tested every week
for the remainder of his career.
“We know he should have taken the test but why weren't we
informed that he hadn't, or even his manager? The whole
world now seems to think he is going to get a three-month
suspension. How can he possibly get a fair hearing under
those circumstances.
“If this situation occurs again, we will pull out of the
testing procedure. The whole system has to be clearer and we
do not want UK Sport acting arbitrarily. If the PFA had been
represented, we would have made certain Rio had taken the
test.”
Rio’s hearing will take place at the Reebok stadium this
week.
