Coke-positive Mutu shown Chelsea door

“The decision comes after the player’s positive drugs test for cocaine and his admission that he took the drug.”

Mutu, 25, faces a two-year ban from soccer. He is the second player to be sacked by Chelsea for cocaine abuse following the dismissal of Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich two years ago.

“We want to make clear that Chelsea has a zero tolerance policy towards drugs. This applies to both performance-enhancing drugs or so-called ‘recreational’ drugs. They have no place at our club or in sport,” the club said in a statement.

“In coming to a decision on this case, Chelsea believed the club’s social responsibility to its fans, players, employees and other stakeholders in football regarding drugs was more important than the major financial considerations to the company.

“Chelsea is actively considering all options in relation to any financial loss as a result of this case.”

Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, said the dismissal was disappointing.

“They have not gone through proper procedures, it’s very premature, he’s not even had his official hearing from the FA,” he told Sky Sports News.

“So many clubs have adopted a more responsible duty of care to employees and been prepared to help them undertake rehabilitation and this is obviously not a programme that Chelsea want to follow and that is very disappointing.

“There is no evidence this is an addictive serious problem, it might be a one-off, so to make a judgment about on termination…it isn’t the sort of approach that is constructive to the future.

“You would think having spent so much money on the player they could have spent a little more on making sure his lifestyle was right.

Mutu was one of the first signings of Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich when he joined from Parma in August 2003 for 16 million pounds ($29.3 million).

He scored four goals in his first three games to make an immediate impact on the pitch but also admitted to loving London’s nightlife.

His performances began to dip and by the end of last season he had fallen out with former manager Claudio Ranieri and was on the sidelines, where he remained under Jose Mourinho who took over in the close season.

Earlier this month Mutu denied taking cocaine but said he had taken “a substance to make me feel better”.

(Reuters)