FA sets date for Rio hearing

Man Utd hit back at Blatter

Rio Ferdinand's Football Association disciplinary hearing will be held at Bolton's Reebok Stadium on 18-19 December.

The Manchester United defender will have a personal hearing to answer charges he missed a drugs test.

Ferdinand denies charges he failed or refused to take a test on 23 September.

He claims he forgot to take the test but if he cannot convince the FA he could be found guilty of deliberately avoiding it.

The more serious offence carries a maximum punishment of a two-year ban although a suspension of three months is thought to be more likely.

The England international will be represented by a team from United's experienced lawyers James Chapman.

How the saga has unfolded

The FA has come in for criticism over the length of time taken to arrange a hearing.

The FA admitted it does not know how to punish Ferdinand after he missed a drugs test and confirmed it does not have any rules to deal with the situation.

Executive director David Davies earlier said: "No one is pretending that we are happy with the time this Ferdinand case has taken but we have to work with the processes that we have.

We have not looked at what happens when someone fails to take a drugs test FA executive director David Davies

"It would appear to some of us that the processes were not introduced for people who fail to turn up to tests, and clearly that has to be put right.

"That is for the working group to deal with and measures such as immediate suspensions are just the sorts of points they have to consider."

Former Olympic gold medallist Lord Seb Coe has been brought in to advise on the case and he is believed to pointed out the flaw in the FA's rules.

Davies said: "Seb Coe will be advising the working group and no one comes from a stronger athletics background than he does.

If the FA don't learn from this then they'll be fighting a losing battle for the respect of the clubs From Ben A Have your say on 606

"He recognises the problems we have encountered with this fundamental issue - that we have not looked at what happens when someone fails to take a drugs test."

Since missing the drugs test Ferdinand has played for United in both the Premiership and the Champions League.

However, he is not eligible to be selected to play for England, and missed the Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey and the friendly against Denmark.