UK Edition
Phil Jones: My ban for abusing doping official was unfair
Phil Jones has spoken for the first time about his two-game Uefa ban for abusing a doping official after Manchester United’s Europa League victory in May, and condemned the punishment as disproportionate given what he says is the leniency shown to “leg-breaking tackles”.
Jones says he never swore directly at any official after he was selected for tests in the aftermath of the win over Ajax in Stockholm, which prevented him from celebrating with team-mates and taking part in a picture showing solidarity with the victims and survivors of the Manchester bombing. He will not take his appeal against the ban and €5,000 fine any further and having missed the European Super Cup final will also sit out United’s Champions League return against Basel.
Jones said: “To be honest I couldn’t believe it. It’s slightly harsh. You see players go in for leg-breaking challenges and they get a one-game ban or a two-game ban. I could understand if I didn’t comply with the rules but I did, oh well that’s football, that’s what they’ve seen.
“Anyone can understand that in a situation like that maybe there was language that was inappropriate but it definitely wasn’t directed to the official himself. I definitely didn’t look at him in his eye and say that he was this and that. Looking back on it now, did I deserve a fine? Possibly but a two-game ban is a bit out of the ordinary.”
In reply to a complaint about Jones’ ban from Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton, the Uefa president’s office alleged that the player swore repeatedly at the doping official. Among other insults, Jones was alleged to have called him a “f-----“ and said that he was “f------ stupid”.
Jones said that ordinarily players selected for doping control were permitted to return to the changing rooms with their chaperone to collect their mobile phones and a drink before going back to take the tests. He was selected along with Daley Blind, who was also fined €5,000 for his behaviour, but was prevented from going back into the changing room after the match.
“It’s not as if we had just won the Mickey Mouse league; we had won the Europa League,” Jones said. “I’m sure anyone can understand you work so hard all year round to win a prestige competition like that, and someone says you can’t celebrate with your team. We had planned to do the banner for the Manchester attacks. It is quite close considering we are a Manchester team but it wasn’t to be. I fully complied with rules and did my urine sample, did my blood sample and ended up with a two-game ban.”
He said that he recognised “one hundred per cent” the importance of the integrity of the doping control process and maintains he complied with all the rules. “I did my urine and my blood tests, I was in and out in 30 minutes. They asked did I want to leave any comments; I said no. I walked out the room and I am sure they have seen far worse in their time. I have seen far worse - I am not going to name names - and nothing has happened. I have moved on from that. It’s done now, I have got the one game ban and I will serve it and look forward to the Champions League.”
Jones has started the season in a United defence that is still yet to concede over the course of three league games and at a club there are five centre-halves in the first team squad, including the new £31 million signing Victor Lindelof, the Englishman has made himself first choice alongside Eric Bailly. He has a good chance of starting for England on Friday against Malta in their first of two World Cup qualifiers in the next three days.
“When times are tough I am not one for just throwing the towel in,” he said. “It was difficult towards the end of the second season under [Louis] Van Gaal [when he was left out the team after recovering from injury]. Sometimes your face fits, sometimes it doesn’t. That’s in football and in every walk of life, that’s just the way things are.
“I took it with a pinch of salt and made sure I could get myself in the best possible shape I could. I had a good pre-season and I always said to myself that if I can be strong and mentally strong I would have a chance under the new manager and thankfully he has given me that.”
He maintains that of all the managers he has played under only Sam Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers, Sir Alex Ferguson who signed him in 2011 and Mourinho have had faith in him. Ferguson famously said he could be one of United’s greatest ever players when he arrived aged 19.
“At the time you are young and you just read the comments but it goes straight over your head, you’re not interested,” Jones said. “When it happened [in 2011] you think ‘Oh, that’s good’ and you go out to Nando’s with your mates.”