Premier League’s anti-doping regime slammed as footballers can go an entire season without testing
Figures show almost a third of players did not provide a sample in 2014/15 campaign
Some Premier League players went an entire season without being tested for banned drugs.
According to The Times, nearly one third of footballers in the top-flight were not tested during the 2014/15 campaign.
The figures show that just 366 players provided blood or urine samples out of a total of about 530.
The FA claims it has one of the strongest testing regimes in sport and is the only professional league which requires players to give their location outside of competition.
Last year Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger called for more testing, while earlier this month a doctor allegedly suggested he had provided performance-enhancing drugs to 150 sports people, including Prem stars.
Ukad carries out the drug-testing on the FA’s behalf, the governing body said that 68 per cent of the tests were out of competition.
Players involved in the Champions League and Europa League go under extra testing, as do internationals.
But Richard Ings, the former head of Australia’s anti-doping agency, believes the number of tests in the Premier League is not enough.
He said: “I would say for a Premier League player to be tested only once in a season is pathetic, so I am truly staggered that many are not tested at all during a season.
“This is the absolute elite of football and they certainly have the money to afford a much better testing programme.”
An FA spokesman added: “No other national governing body in the UK dedicates as much resource to prevent doping in its sport; indeed the FA operates one of the most comprehensive national anti-doping testing programmes in the world.
“The FA, like any sport, will prioritise its anti-doping programme at the elite end. In addition, the anti-doping programme is research and intelligence-led meaning any player who the FA believes presents a particular doping risk will be targeted.”
It is believed players such as third-choice goalkeepers are more likely to dodge testing as there is less chance of them influencing games.