West Ham have been fined £30,000 by the Football Association after admitting to a whereabouts breach of anti-doping regulations. The cub accepted a charge after three whereabouts violations in one year, saying the errors were administrative in nature.
A statement from the FA read: “West Ham United have been fined £30,000 after admitting a charge of failing to ensure that their club whereabouts information was accurate three times within 12 months, contrary to The FA’s anti-doping regulations.”
A West Ham United spokesperson said: “The club accepts the charge and we will endeavour to tighten our procedures to avoid this happening again. The breach related to administrative oversights on The FA’s whereabouts system, where for example a player’s address had been registered and the house number digits transposed.
“We would like to reiterate that the breach was a club administrative matter and did not concern any of our players.”
This is an absolute disgrace. In any other sport apart from football this would result in the individual athletes receiving up to a two year ban if they missed tests due to the testers being sent to the wrong location.
At a time when Bradley Wiggins is being trashed by politicians and the media for breaking no rules, barely a comment is made about this major breach of protocol
Yet another example of our superbly slipshod club management. 3 times in a year? Once is a mistake, twice is gross negligence three times is criminal. Wonder who’s job it was?
Whereabouts on the pitch would be more appropriate .