Football Corner

Middlesbrough defender Abel Xavier has decided to appeal against FIFA's decision to ban him from playing football for another 18 months. The 32-year-old tested positive for a banned steroid after Boro's Uefa Cup game in Xanthi on 29 September. Uefa has confirmed Xavier has lodged an appeal and a hearing is likely to take place early in 2006. Xavier has strenuously denied any wrongdoing and is understood to have told Uefa he unknowingly took the drug in a contaminated supplement. The former Liverpool and Everton player was banned at a hearing in Nyon after being found guilty of testing positive for the banned anabolic steroid dianabol.

Uefa said in a statement: "The player was found guilty of being in breach of the Uefa anti-doping regulations. As a result, the Uefa control and disciplinary body decided to impose an 18-month ban on Abel Xavier." Middlesbrough have yet to make an official response to Xavier's ban but it is believed they will immediately terminate his contract if his appeal is turned down. The club signed the Portuguese international for a year on a free transfer in August following his release by Italian side Roma. He has been capped 20 times by Portugal and has played for both Liverpool and Everton as well as Benfica, Galatasaray and PSV Eindhoven.

I personaly think that there isn't a chance of FIFA changing their decision to ban Xavier for 18 months. In the first place I think Xavier was stupid for taking the drugs. I am very much behind FIFA in these kind of cases because it's about time that the matter should be taking much much more seriously and I think Xavier's ban should of been about 24 months instead of the 18 month ban that was handed out.