The end of Mark Bosnich's career with Chelsea moved a significant step closer yesterday after the Australian goalkeeper was charged by the English Football Association with breaching doping regulations and bringing the game into disrepute following his positive test for cocaine.

Bosnich has been suspended from all footballing activities until the two charges are heard, although the player's union have pledged to help him rebuild his career after rehabilitation.

The FA's move is hardly unexpected, news of Bosnich's first positive test for cocaine leaked out on November 10th and analysis of a B sample last week confirmed the finding.

Bosnich looks certain to have his £40,000- a-week contract terminated once he has been dealt with by the FA.

The club announced this afternoon the goalkeeper has been summoned to a meeting at Stamford Bridge.

"The charges respectively relate to bringing the game into disrepute and to breaching the FA's doping regulations by testing positive for a prohibited substance, namely cocaine," an FA spokesman said.

"Mark Bosnich will be suspended from all football activities until the charges have been heard.

"The FA would not normally make any public statements at this stage of a case of this type, however, in view of numerous media reports over the past few weeks the situation required clarification."

Bosnich has until Friday, January 10th to respond in writing to the charges, though no date for a hearing has yet been set.

A statement on Chelsea's official website said: "Chelsea can today confirm that we have received notification from the Football Association that the player Mark Bosnich has been charged with breaches of the FA rules in connection with the detection of the presence of cocaine in a sample provided by him.

"The player has been suspended by the Football Association from all football activities until such time as the charge against him has been determined by them. In the meantime, the club have summoned the player to an internal meeting."

Bosnich, who joined Chelsea on a free transfer in January 2001 after an unsuccessful spell at Manchester United, was admitted to the Priory clinic in Roehampton last month after being diagnosed as "suffering from severe clinical depression".

Meanwhile, Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, said the charge does not necessarily mark the end of Bosnich's career.

"The player can undergo rehabilitation and can be classed as clean and come into the game after a period of time - but that depends on Mark," Taylor said.

"We have been in constant touch with Mark since this began and we have continued to be in touch with him. It is a very sensitive situation.

"A lot depends on his attitude. Knowing him as I do I can't believe it is the end of the road or the end of his career.

"It's a matter of reassessing the situation and seeing if we can get a new start in the latter stages of his career."

Taylor highlighted Paul Merson as an example for Bosnich to draw on.

The former England midfielder publicly admitted drug use, but recovered to continue his career.