Hull City midfielder Jake Livermore has been suspended after reportedly tested positive for cocaine and will not play again this season.
The 25-year-old, who made his only England appearance against Italy in 2012, is believed to have failed a drug test following Hull’s 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace last month.
Livermore was Hull’s club record signing when he left Tottenham in 2013 for £8m. He has made 39 appearances this season.
Born in Enfield, Livermore spent six seasons at Spurs but made only 58 first-team appearances and spent time on loan at MK Dons, Crewe, Derby, Peterborough, Ipswich Town and Leeds United.
Hull travel to White Hart Lane on Saturday as they bid to escape from the Premier League’s relegation zone.
Former Chelsea player Adrian Mutu is the highest-profile player to be banned by the FA for cocaine use. The Romania striker was ordered to pay £14.6m in 2009 after a Fifa compensation award to Chelsea was upheld by the court of arbitration for sport.
In 2003, the FA ordered an investigation into claims that England players had taken cocaine after allegations from former Cardiff and QPR player Leon Jeanne in The Sun.
The FA conducts drug testing both in competition and out of competition, which can mean at training sessions and player’s home addresses. Players can be selected for a drug test in either a random or a targeted basis.
A total of 1604 tests were carried out last season, with only four resulting in violations.
Guardian Service
