THE English Football Association responded to fears about alcohol abuse among footballers by revealing yesterday that they have been breathtesting players for the past three years.

Though the results have never been published, the FA say that no one has yet failed a test for alcohol.

The news comes in the wake of Tony Adams's weekend confession to alcoholism with the FA keen to demonstrate their commitment to keeping the game squeaky clean. Sources close to Adams say he has never been tested.

Sports Council drug testers, hired by the FA, have taken breathalysers to all dope tests at stadiums and training grounds since 1993 with any cases of more than 35 mg - the limit for driving - reported to Lancaster Gate.

This year the FA's testing programme is its largest ever with 500 random tests, 80 per cent of which take place after morning training sessions. The FA's doping control budget is £150,000.

"We will be testing players at every professional league club this season, either after matches or at the end of training sessions," said FA spokesman Steve Double. "The object of the testing isn't to wave a big stick, there is no question of a suspension if players are found to have alcohol in their system. We just want to find out who has a problem and if they fail a test at training or a match the chance is they have a problem."

If a player's sample shows unacceptable levels of alcohol the club doctor will be immediately informed of the result. It will be for the club to take action. Alcohol is not a prohibited substance, but it is a "restricted substance", which means its presence in samples can be noted and may be made illegal in some sports.

"The only circumstance we would take action," said Mr Double, "would be if something happened on the field, like a punch up and the player involved was later found to have alcohol in his random test."

The FA reorganised and intensified their drug testing programme because of increasing fears over the use of social drugs, including cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines all three have been found in random tests in the past 18 months. Last year the FA conducted 270 tests with eight positives, four for stimulants, four for marijuana. The FA has extended the testing programme to include players as young as nine at the centres of excellence.

The most recent examples of reported failures in sport were all in motorsport one motorbikes, one motor cars. The worst punishment meted out was a £500 fine.