West Ham midfielder Robert Snodgrass has been given a one-match ban after being charged with misconduct towards UK anti-doping officials.
The alleged incident reportedly took place on February 6 at the Hammers’ training facility, with the 31-year-old accused of hurling “abusive and/or insulting” comments at drug testers who were present at the grounds – as per The Sun.
The 31-year-old was not scheduled to be tested and it is not believed that he refused to give a test sample either, with his remarks described as “tongue-in-cheek verbals”.
Snodgrass was charged on March 4 and he has now been hit with a one-match ban and a £30,000 fine, which means he could miss West Ham’s home clash with Leicester on Saturday.
The Sun reports that the Scotland international said to anti-doping officials when they approached him: “Haven’t you got anything else better to do?”
The FA released a short statement on Tuesday confirming Snodgrass’s ban, which read: “A misconduct charge against Robert Snodgrass has been found proven by an Independent Regulatory Commission.
“It was alleged that his language and/or behaviour towards UK Anti-Doping officials, who were visiting West Ham United’s training ground on 06 February 2019, was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper.
“The player has been given a one-match suspension, which is not currently active whilst he considers his right of appeal and fined £30,000.”
Snodgrass has featured in 31 Premier League games for the Hammers this season, scoring two goals, while also contributing five assists.
Club boss Manuel Pellegrini will surely be unhappy with the Scot for his actions, which could see him miss a vital game in West Ham’s push for a place in the top seven, as the 2018-19 campaign begins to draw to a close.
