UK - Premiership footballer suspended over drugs claim

[Junkhead23]

West Bromwich Albion have suspended Roman Bednar following allegations that the striker bought cocaine and cannabis hours after a Premier League match.

According to the News of the World, the 26-year-old purchased drugs from a car outside his house in Sutton Coldfield after West Brom beat Wigan 3-1.
A club statement read: "Roman Bednar has been suspended while the club conduct an internal investigation."
The Czech international was not in the squad that was beaten by Liverpool 2-0.
The report in the News of the World pictured Bednar, who was an unused substitute in the win over Wigan on Saturday, 9 May, with what the paper alleged was evidence of a drug deal taking place.
The paper claimed that Bednar, confronted by its reporter, said the drugs were not for his own use.
Despite his suspension, Bednar is hoping to play for West Brom next season.
"I'm sorry and deeply regretful for the stories that have emerged in the press and the embarrassment and the negative publicity it's brought to the directors, players and staff of West Bromwich Albion and all their supporters," Bednar said in a statement.
"My biggest disappointment today is the team's relegation to the Championship and sincerely I hope to have the opportunity to help the club regain promotion next season."
West Brom manager Tony Mowbray insisted his team's preparations for the Liverpool game had not been upset by Bednar's suspension.
"I had a word with him before the match, but there will be no further comment until we have had the chance to investigate what has happened and find out all the facts," said Mowbray.
"We will then take action when we have got to the bottom of it and discover the details."
Bednar joined the Baggies from Hearts in August 2007, and has scored six goals in 26 appearances this season.
He initially signed on loan before the move to West Brom was made permanent, at a cost of £2.3m, last summer.
Bednar scored 17 goals in 22 starts in his first season as West Brom won promotion to the Premier League and made it to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
However, he has started just 12 times in the league this season, coming off the bench on 14 occasions.
Bednar joined Hearts from Czech club Mlada Boleslav in July 2005.

Source - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...on/8054317.stm

[Nature Boy]

I spotted this headline yesterday and looking at it now I'm a tad confused. So a newspaper reports that Bednar may have been involved in a drug deal. Was there any arrest? Was there any actual evidence? The player's confession means he's stepped in it but I don't actually see any proof.

Professional footballers get tested throughout the year apart from the few weeks holiday they have between the end of the league fixtures and pre-season friendlies that usually start up in about five or six weeks time. I guess they might try and squeeze any possible recreational drug use in during this short window of opportunity. To be honest, I wouldn't worry about a professional athlete smoking pot. I mean, look at Michael Phelps. But cocaine is bad news, especially from a PR perspective. Not so sure about effect on performance. (Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov's chain-smoking habit would be far more troublesome than the odd line of Charlie though.)

[old hippie 56]

Happens all the time over here in the states. Guess the PR guys don't want the kiddies looking up to a bunch of dope heads athletes.