Drug allegations haunt Xavier
Middlesbrough defender Abel Xavier claims he will forever be known as a 'drug cheat'.
Middlesbrough defender Abel Xavier claims he will forever be known as a 'drug cheat'.
Xavier tested positive for anabolic steroids two years ago and, although he has since been reinstated in Boro's squad, the right-back insists he will never be able to mend his reputation.
Xavier admits he can empathise with the plight of Olympic champion Ian Thorpe, who is bidding to clear his name following the drug allegations made against the retired swimmer this week.
"I will be known as drug cheat Abel Xavier, even though I was innocent," said Xavier in the Daily Express.
"It made me even more determined to bounce back and to show everyone that I was not wrong, that what happened to me made me stronger.
"I wanted to show my kids that I would not let something like that beat me and I am now back playing football and enjoying it."
Meanwhile, Boro midfielder George Boateng has been fined by his club after comments about Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo won and converted the penalty which decided the teams' FA Cup quarter-final replay at Old Trafford two weeks ago and was then involved in the incident which saw James Morrison red-carded for a rash challenge.
An angry Boateng claimed after the match that Ronaldo had mocked his team and 'one day someone will hurt him properly and he'll be out for a long time'.
Southgate revealed to the Sun: "I do not think the comments George made were correct and we have dealt with that. Obviously I prefer to deal with those things internally than have the FA deal with them. It is something we have spoken about and it has been dealt with."
