FIFA consider life bans for doping
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Blatter says FIFA has a "duty to intervene" in mishandled doping cases.
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LONDON, England -- Players who use performance-enhancing drugs could face lifetime bans, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Wednesday.
In a column for the Financial Times, Blatter also argued that clubs whose players are guilty of doping should also face relegation.
The head of football's world governing body has been an outspoken critic of the English Football Association's handling of the Rio Ferdinand case.
The England defender has been allowed to continue playing for Manchester United despite missing a drugs test in September.
Earlier this month Blatter said Ferdinand, who has been charged by the FA with "failure or refusal" to take a drugs test, should have been suspended until the case had been settled.
Ferdinand has requested a personal hearing with the FA, which will take place later this week although no decision will be taken until next year.
Inexcusable omission
"Surely, if we condemn a player who has either refused or miraculously forgotten to take a drug test, it is not FIFA that is at fault, but those directly responsible for this inexcusable omission and its aftermath," said Blatter.
"That is the individual himself, his club and the FA, which has not swiftly enforced the laws on the suspension of players that ought to be applied.
"If FIFA sees this sort of thing happening, it is its duty to intervene. It is the only way to make sure that the law is the same for everyone, rich and poor. FIFA cannot accept different strokes for different folks.
"If this type of behavior persists we may well consider promulgating a law to impose a lifetime ban on any player caught taking performance-enhancing drugs and relegation on his club. If clubs can't control their players, who can?"
Blatter admitted that football had a drug problem following FIFA's executive committee meeting earlier this month, and said he would produce a dossier on the issue before the end of the year.
