Doctor charged with anti-doping violation says he is ashamed

A club doctor charged by the Football Association with an anti-doping rule violation says he is "ashamed" of his actions.

Dr Andrew Johnson has been accused of providing fraudulent information about a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) when working as club doctor for Bury last year.

He has been working as a consultant medic for Manchester City for the past decade and was still doing so at the time of the incident.

An application he made on behalf of an unnamed player to use the banned substance testosterone on medical grounds was dated December 2018.

Dr Johnson has now told the BBC he failed to apply for the TUE when he was meant to, and was "dishonest in retrospectively making an application to cover up" the issue.

He insists he did not diagnose the player or prescribe the substance, and that it was an isolated incident.

Dr Johnson says he is co-operating with investigations by both the FA and General Medical Council and is making "full admissions".

"I apologise to the player and his family, Bury FC, the FA, UK Anti-Doping, the football and sporting fraternity, the public, my employers (including Manchester City), my professional colleagues and finally my friends and family" he said.

"I have let you all down."

Manchester City have not used Dr Johnson since they became aware of the case.

"While I have acted as a club doctor at Manchester City, the charge against me relates only to an isolated incident which occurred in the course of my working at Bury," says Dr Johnson.

In October, the FA charged him with a breach of Rule E25 and alleged that he "tampered with doping control in that he provided fraudulent information to an anti-doping organisation, namely the FA and/or UK Anti-Doping in respect of an application for a TUE dated 1 December 2018 on behalf of a player".

If found guilty, Dr Johnson could face a ban from working in sport for four years.

He is set to face a hearing early in the new year.

Dr Johnson's full statement

"While I have acted as a club doctor at Manchester City, the charge against me relates only to an isolated incident which occurred in the course of my working at Bury.

"There is currently a Football Association anti-doping investigation and a fitness to practise investigation by the General Medical Council (GMC) and I would like to stress that I am fully co-operating with both inquiries. I am making full admissions in relation to the charges. I am also undertaking a complete remediation process, having self-reported to the GMC.

"I am ashamed of my actions and I apologise to the player and his family, Bury FC, the FA, UK Anti-Doping, the football and sporting fraternity, the public, my employers (including Manchester City), my professional colleagues and finally my friends and family. I have let you all down.

"I wish to emphasise that I did not diagnose the player in question, nor did I prescribe the medication in question (Testogel). I was responsible only for completing the Therupeutic Use Exemption (TUE) paperwork on behalf of the player.

"My administration process at Bury FC failed me in that I did not make the TUE application at the time I should have. I was then dishonest in retrospectively making an application to cover up my failings. I would like to make it clear, to reassure the FA and the public, that there was no wrongdoing by the player or Bury FC.

Once again I apologise to all those involved and I will take full responsibility for my actions which occurred in an isolated period of my career."