BOLTON (England), Dec 20: Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was banned for eight months by an independent disciplinary commission on Friday for missing a drugs test.

The England international had been charged by the Football Association (FA) with a “failure or refusal” to take the test at United’s training ground at Carrington on Sep 23.

Ferdinand is set to miss the rest of the domestic season and next year’s European Championship, though Manchester United immediately announced their intention to appeal.

Following a two-day hearing, a commission spokesman read out a statement saying: “The disciplinary commission unanimously found that the charge was proved against Rio Ferdinand.

“It was further decided he would be suspended for a period of eight months with effect from Monday Jan 12, 2004 and be fined the sum of 50,000 pounds ($88,310).”

United, the English champions, were angered by the verdict.

“We are extremely disappointed by the result in this case and, in particular, by the savage and unprecedented sentence which makes an appeal inevitable,” United director Maurice Watkins said in a club statement.

“I can confirm that Rio has the full support of Manchester United and the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association).”

Ferdinand, who stood next to Watkins, made no comment, while the FA gave a short statement.

“Clearly the Commission regarded not taking a drugs test as a very serious matter and took their decision accordingly,” it said.

Dick Pound, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), said that Ferdinand had been dealt with leniently.

The FA ruled him out of England’s final Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey on Oct 11, but allowed him to keep playing for United, a decision criticised by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The world’s most expensive defender, Ferdinand became a “cause celebre” in domestic and international football, while the FA was widely criticised for its handling of the affair.

Ferdinand could also miss the start of England’s qualifying campaign for the 2006 World Cup.

The ban is one month less than that handed down to former Manchester United player Eric Cantona for attacking a supporter in the crowd at a Premier League match in 1995.—Reuters