Manchester United: England Stars' Drug Tests

Rio Ferdinand was confronted by doping officials on Thursday - soon after making his return from an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test.

Ashley Cole was one of the handful of players chosen at random to give a sample at the team's Manchester hotel, with the ensuing delay causing him to miss the scheduled press conference at Old Trafford.

It is not known whether Ferdinand, who is set to make his first appearance for England since the end of his ban, was also chosen ahead of Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Wales.

However, the Manchester United defender did appear at the press conference to reflect on the lessons learned from his enforced absence from the game.

Punishment in that case was imposed after Ferdinand forgot to take a drugs test at United's Carrington training base last September and was seen out shopping in the city centre instead.

The FA has declined to comment, although it is understood that random tests are routinely carried out ahead of internationals by the official testers.

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