What happens next in the Ferdinand case

14 April 2012

It could be months before Rio Ferdinand knows his footballing fate.

The Manchester United defender will have 14 days to answer the charge and has already requested a personal hearing. Once that is complete, within a month a three-man FA commission will be convened to hear the case.

They will decide if Ferdinand is guilty of deliberately failing, or just forgetting, to attend the drugs test which will in turn determine the punishment imposed.

United and Ferdinand may be granted an automatic right of appeal. Failing that, the club may take the FA through the civil courts for restraint of trade, or to Switzerland's independent Court of Arbitration for Sport.

If Ferdinand chooses to appeal, any ban would start much later - putting him at risk of missing vital end-of-season Premiership fixtures and, possibly, Euro 2004.

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