Daryl Murphy admits he was secretly banned by The FA for taking cocaine on night out last season
DARYL MURPHY admitted he made a “bad mistake” after he was secretly banned last season for taking cocaine on a night out.
The current Bolton striker was at Nottingham Forest at the time of the six-week FA ban, which has never been revealed because of the FA’s policy of not naming players who have failed drug tests.
The ex-Republic of Ireland star, 36, was playing under Aitor Karanka and did not play for Forest between October 6 and December 8.
He was shunted out of the club’s first-team plans at the beginning of this campaign before joining League One Bolton, where he has scored five goals.
In a statement issued to The Athletic, a regretful Murphy said: “Firstly, I would like to stress that the taking of recreational drugs is something that I don’t condone whatsoever.
“I served a suspension at the beginning of last season for making a bad decision while on a night out.
“This was an isolated incident which happened out of competition when we had no game. I immediately regretted it.
“I am not proud of what I did but it’s something I have put behind me as I want to concentrate on my football career.”
Under the FA’s “targeted testing”, players are subject to blood and urine testing “any time and anywhere, including at home, on a no-advance-notice basis.”
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The FA has a policy of not naming the players caught for two reasons.
Firstly, because it is often a young player at the beginning of their career and, secondly, in case the player has issues relating to drug use.
Murphy – who won 36 caps for Ireland before retiring from international football in January 2018- did not offer any mitigating circumstances and said it was a source of immediate regret.