Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu is expected to be given a drug ban of several months when he appears before a Football Association (FA) hearing on Thursday.
The 25-year-old Romanian tested positive at Chelsea’s training ground in September. He admitted taking a recreational drug on October 18 and was fired by Chelsea 11 days later.
While Mutu has undergone drug counselling and admitted his guilt, the FA is likely to ban him for a minimum of six months under international regulations.
The ban, expected to be extended worldwide, isn’t likely to be longer than eight months.
Mutu will appear at the hearing along with Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) executive member John Bramhall and the players’ union’s lawyer, John Hewison.
”The PFA are against drugs at all times but players do not take recreational drugs to cheat or gain an advantage — in fact they are detrimental to the individual,” PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said.
Mutu was widely reported to have tested positive for cocaine.
However, he claimed he used a drug to enhance sexual performance.
Another former Chelsea player, goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, was fired by the club last year after testing positive for cocaine. He was suspended for nine months by the FA but, unlike Mutu, he contested the case and did not show remorse.
Mutu moved to Chelsea 15 months ago from Italian club Parma in a transfer reported at £15,8-million. — Sapa-AP