Sheffield United Football Club News

• Nickname:The blades
• Founded:1889
• Manager:Danny Wilson

• Ground:Bramall Lane
• Capacity:30,945

Nine-month ban for Kenny

08 Sep 2009 - 07:21:27

Click To Enlarge

Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been handed a nine-month ban after failing a drugs test.

A Football Association Regulatory Commission hearing on Monday accepted that the keeper had not deliberately taken ephedrine, but Kenny is now suspended until April.

The 31-year-old's sample showed up traces of the banned substance following the Blades' play-off clash with Preston back in May.

"The Regulatory Commission considered carefully the evidence and the submissions from both parties," said commission chairman Christopher Quinlan.

"Whilst we found that the player satisfied us on the balance of probabilities that the substance was not taken with the intention of enhancing sporting performance, his admitted conduct displayed significant fault.

"A professional sportsman, including a football player, has a strict responsibility to ensure prohibited substances do not enter his/her body.

"In this instance Mr Kenny knowingly ingested an over-the-counter medicine above the prescribed dosage without reading the accompanying package or leaflet and without reference to his club's doctor or other medical staff.

"It is incumbent upon all professional footballers to understand the perils and dangers of so doing and to act in the way he did, contrary to the Doping Control Programme delivered by the FA and in any event what should be a matter of common sense for a professional sportsman, showed in our judgement a complete disregard for those responsibilities."