Soccer NewsChelsea have been charged with misconduct by the English Football Association for carrying out their own drugs test on a group of players to try to confirm suspicions about Romanian striker Adrian Mutu, who later tested positive for cocaine.

The FA do not allow players to be tested independently in case it leads to incidents where clubs could try to cover up drug usage by squad members.

Chelsea insist they are in the right morally, and will strongly contest the charge, which relates to July 12th last year when the club tested a number of players at pre-season training.

Rumours had been circulating about Mutu but in order not to arouse his suspicions the club tested several players. All tests proved negative but Chelsea insist had any been positive they would have informed the FA - who three months later carried out their own test on Mutu which delivered a positive finding.

There is no suggestion that Chelsea, who have also had goalkeeper Mark Bosnich test positive for cocaine within the last three years, have attempted any sort of cover-up but they have have been charged with breaching regulation 1 (e) of the FA's doping control regulations.

Chelsea, who have until September 23rd to respond to the FA charge, are believed to be extremely unhappy that the fact they carried out the independent test has been made public when it came to light in the Mutu disciplinary hearings last year, which was held behind closed doors.