Football Corner

Portugese defender Abel Xavier has had his 18 month drug's ban appeal turned down (not surprisingly). Xavier tested positive for a banned substance nearly three months ago after Boro's UEFA Cup game against Xanthi. He has simultaneously denied any wrong doing and is understood to of told UEFA he unknowingly took the drug in a contaimed substance.

Look at that hair
The defender can now either accept the punishment or appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. A Uefa statement said: "Middlesbrough FC defender Abel Xavier has failed in his appeal against an 18-month suspension for a breach of anti-doping regulations." Xavier has 10 days to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport once he has been notified in writing of Uefa's decision. Middlesbrough have said they will not make any comment on the situation until they receive the decision in writing.

Ths decision has come as no surprise at all to me and I think Abel should just count himself lucky that it wasn't a longer ban. I can't see him appealing again because he knows he hasn't got a chance of them reducing the ban at all. I hope that Xavier can just get on with it and hope a club might sign him when the ban has ended.