Adrian Mutu of Chelsea!!!
Mutu test
'confirmed', career in balance
Radu Timofte
BUCHAREST, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Adrian Mutu faced a possible two-year
suspension on Monday after his agent Gheorghe Popescu said Chelsea
had told him the striker had tested positive.
"Chelsea confirmed to me that Mutu had tested positive but did not
reveal the substance. I realised that it concerned a drug, not a
doping substance," Popsecu told Reuters from London.
"Chelsea said that the (drug) would not be disclosed under a
confidentiality clause," added Popescu, who had flown to London
with Victor Becali, who also acts for the player, to meet Chelsea
coach Jose Mourinho.
Mutu had earlier in the day protested his innocence and Popescu,
speaking to Romania's Radio Total, said: "Of course, Mutu is
scared. His fate and his future are threatened.
"He has taken the news very bad. He's shocked but that is normal,
it is normal to be shocked," Popescu said on arriving at Heathrow
airport.
Popescu said Mutu had confirmed to him that a dope test had taken
place at Chelsea's training camp in early October and said neither
the club nor the British anti-doping agency had handed him the
results.
Chelsea have not commented on the allegations after British
newspapers reported in their first editions on Monday that Mutu had
tested positive for cocaine.
Popescu said he had recommended to Mutu that he should not wait for
a test of the B sample.
"I told him not to ask for the second sample so as not to prolong
his agony. I told him that almost always the second sample confirms
the first sample. He seemed not to understand what I told
him."
Popescu added: "Mutu is destroyed. I told him to assume full
responsibility for his actions but he seemed not to understand what
it really means.
"We'll discuss his future after we see what Chelsea decide."
The 25-year-old Mutu has endured a torrid time at Stamford Bridge
where he has fallen out with Mourinho after playing for Romania
against club advice.
After returning to London from Bucharest last week Mutu was handed
a hefty fine for making critical comments about his club
coach.
When asked last week when Mutu, who is still officially listed as
injured by Chelsea despite appearing for his country, would play
again, Mourinho said: "At this moment I see that day as a long way
off."
Mutu has been involved in several other incidents recently,
including losing his driving licence for refusing to present his
identity papers to police before Romania's World Cup qualifier
against Finland in Bucharest in August.
Gordon Taylor, head of the English players' union, told Sky Sports
News: "Things haven't been going well for him...it's not the peak
of his career at the moment. It's a matter of some concern because
any action will apply internationally as well."
