Bournemouth charged for alleged anti-doping rule breach-essentiallysports.com

Bournemouth have been charged by The FA for a breach of anti-doping regulations after falling foul of the ‘whereabouts rule’.?On Thursday, fellow Premier League club Manchester City were fined after a similar charge and were warned about their future conduct.?Pep Guardiola?s side were fined ?35,000?after admitting they failed to provide accurate details?of training sessions and player whereabouts so they are available for testing at all times.

Clubs are required to keep the FA informed of the location of their players in order to carry out drug-testing. A “three-strike” policy is operated, meaning a charge is only triggered after three infringements in the space of a rolling one-year period.

Two of the tests are believed to concern a member of the club?s under-21 squad who had been called up to train with the first team, who are based at a different site. The other is understood to relate to an unnamed player who failed to provide details of his new home address, which resulted in a tester turning up to his former home.

An FA statement on Friday read: ‘AFC Bournemouth have been charged in relation to The FA’s Rules on Anti-Doping.’

‘It is alleged that the club failed to ensure that their ‘Club Whereabouts’ information was accurate, contrary to Regulation 14(d).’

‘Bournemouth have until February 23, 2017 to respond to the charge.’

Gary Neville tweeted: ‘Clubs breach anti-doping and nothing! Player gets 8 months and misses a European championship! Should have followed through with the strike.’

The FA will now set a date for an independent regulatory commission to hear the case in due course. The case is expected to be heard during the next two weeks.

Eddie Howe?s side are 14th in the Premier League on 26?points, five points above the relegation zone, and next play Manchester United?at Old Trafford?on Saturday.