Players to face 'further dope tests'

Premier League footballers could face drug testing while they are on their summer holidays, according to reports.

It is claimed officials from UK Sport and the Football Association will draw up a list of 30 players who will be tested five times a year in addition to pre-match tests.

Players with previous drugs form are likely to be on the list, along with those who have spent long periods out of the country recovering from injury.

The players on the list could be tested at any time, even when they are on holiday at the end of the season.

At the moment, two players are chosen at random after every Premier League match to provide a urine sample for testing and random tests are held at club training grounds.

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand served an eight-month ban because he missed a test in 2003.

The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) are opposed to testing outside stadiums and training grounds.

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said: "We feel that to invade the privacy of a player's home would be a step too far.

"If we complain about anything to do with drug-testing people think we might have something to hide, but football's record is extremely good and there has been a virtual absence of any performance-enhancing drugs over decades.

"We do appreciate that football is a major spectator sport and we wish to co-operate, but football should not be treated in the same way as individual sports that do have a problem with drugs, such as athletics, cycling and weightlifting.

"For most of the year, the whereabouts of players is always known, either at their training ground or matches."

Meanwhile, the FA has pointed out the details of the policy have not been finalised.

An FA spokesman said: "The introduction of a national testing pool in each country is a requirement of the World Anti-Doping Agency code, but there are still discussions to be had between the FA and UK Sport on the size, composition and testing requirements for English football's pool.

"To be clear, these details have not yet been defined, and the FA will be guided by Fifa's view as our international governing body. We also want the PFA to be involved in these discussions.

"The FA currently runs the biggest drug-testing programme in British Sport, with 1,600 tests conducted every season.

"Our programme is run in conjunction with UK Sport and joint-funded by the two bodies. The bulk of testing is random, unannounced, out-of-competition testing at training grounds.

"We are committed to being at the forefront of the fight against doping."

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