City fined £35,000 for anti-doping admin error

[Prestwich_Blue]

Aye but isn't the benchmark for "being in the wrong place" pretty much as small as being in a first team training session instead of in the gym with the reserves. From what I read it sounded incredibly petty

I suspect the testers turn up and say "We want to test a, b & c and the paperwork says they should be here but they aren't". However we know where they are and go and get them or they've just forgotten to say they're not going to be where they should be. The latter is a common problem apparently but players are a bit thick and don't always realise they're supposed to keep the club informed of their whereabouts at specified times. The other problem is that it's seen as a club issue, rather than an individual one, even if the club has done as much as they can to ensure everything's in order.

 

[cheekybids]

If anyone has ever been involved in audits you will know rarely you achieve 100% pass rate. Often minor non conformance are raised & this is often used to raise the level but the feeling will be of a successful audit. Auditors interpret things entirely different to one and other do it can be subjective.

Remember we were told we had failed ffp with the finest financial minds in football after an audit.

 

[BigOscar]

I suspect the testers turn up and say "We want to test a, b & c and the paperwork says they should be here but they aren't". However we know where they are and go and get them or they've just forgotten to say they're not going to be where they should be. The latter is a common problem apparently but players are a bit thick and don't always realise they're supposed to keep the club informed of their whereabouts at specified times. The other problem is that it's seen as a club issue, rather than an individual one, even if the club has done as much as they can to ensure everything's in order.

I imagine it's more that testers turn up with a register of everyone who should be there and make a note if anyone isn't there, rather than them coming to test specific players who aren't there. Or the entire team not being where they are scheduled to be due to training sessions being moved without updating the documents, otherwise I can't possibly see how you could have 5 players found to not be where they should be at the same time

 

[Hamann Pineapple]

The Guardian has published a little more detail and it gets worse, although we'll probably only get a £25k fine. https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ter-city-doping-test-charges?CMP=share_btn_tw

It seems that on three separate occasions we had incorrect information on at least 5 squad members when testing staff turned up. 5 is apparently the trigger point for the FA so they do allow some leeway. But if that's true and on three occasions we've had incorrect information for 5 or more players then someone wants shooting, despite the over-sensational headlines.

How many tests does Ukad carry out in English football each year?
Around 2,000. That sounds like a lot but divided by the 92 league clubs and nine teams in the Women’s Super League and it is roughly 20 per team per month

Errrr, no it isn't.

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

It's the "At home" bit I can't get to grips with. Are certain players told that they can expect a visit around such a time by testers, or are names drawn out randomly with the intention of entrapment with individuals being told they must remain at home that evening?
I accept that the regulations are the same for all and everyone has to accept them but I can see it going wrong somewhere, the 'at home' aspect catching out Olympic athletes too.

 

[aguero93:20]

Errrr, no it isn't.

Come on mate they're only out by 1100%

 

[Sunny Coast Blue]

I imagine someone will be getting a written warning, or a P45 on Monday morning.

If they can find them.

 

[Sunny Coast Blue]

But that wasn't the case. I understand where you're coming from, but the headlines intimate us involved in doping.
Where in reality, it's an admin error. These sort of mistakes DO need ironing out though.

Would be amazed if our 'PR dept' hadn't a hand in the headlines, they seem to like us being in the news. Clowns.

 

[Stuuuuuu]

I haven't read the thread, but could this be something to do with Nasri?

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I haven't read the thread, but could this be something to do with Nasri?

Not unless they've forgotten to tell them he's in Spain. It's a club thing and not a charge against a specific player or players. The drug testers turn up with a sheet provided by the club and players are supposed to be where the club says they are. In our case, on three separate occasions, 5 or more players have not been where the FA are expecting them to be. So either the club has fucked up or the players haven't told the club that they're not going to be wherever the club thought they were going to be. There do not appear to have been any missed drug tests or the charges would be much more serious and involve named players. So it's an administrative error.