Newton hit with drugs ban
West Ham midfielder Shaun Newton has been hit with a seven-month ban.
West Ham midfielder Shaun Newton has been hit with a seven-month ban for failing a drugs test.The 30-year-old tested positive for cocaine following West Ham's FA Cup semi-final with Middlesbrough on April 23.
Newton was subsequently suspended by his club on May 20 and an FA Disciplinary Commission has confirmed his ban will run from that date.
A statement on The FA's website read: "At a Disciplinary Commission hearing yesterday, West Ham United's Shaun Newton was suspended for seven months after failing a drugs test.
"He will be subject to target testing throughout the period of the suspension.
"The ban, which applies to matches but not training and other football activities, starts on 20 May, the date on which he was suspended by his club.
"The FA's Doping Control Programme is by far the biggest of any sport in the UK, comprising around 25 percent of all sports drug testing.
"Each season sees 1600 tests carried out at all levels of the game, both post-match and out-of-competition. The testing runs parallel with a comprehensive drugs education and awareness programme."
West Ham have confirmed that Newton will be unavailable to them and although he is free to train as normal, the former Wolves man did not travel with the squad for their pre-season tour of Sweden.
