Jose Mourinho says Phil Jones has been harshly treated as Manchester United consider appeal over two-match ban for abusing doping official
- Phil Jones verbally abused officials at drugs test after the 2-0 win over Ajax
- Jones did provide samples but expressed frustration after missing a photoshoot
- The dressing room photoshoot was to honour Manchester terror attack victims
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho believes that his defender Phil Jones has been harshly treated after being banned for two games by UEFA for violations of anti-doping procedures at the Europa League final.
Jones was also fined £4,500 for 'not immediately going to the doping control room' and allegedly abusing an anti-doping officer. He will now miss the Super Cup clash against Real Madrid next Tuesday and the opening match of the United's Champions' League campaign.
Jones was an unused substitute in the 2-0 victory over Ajax in May. It is understood that the England international gave blood and urine samples but expressed frustration to officials that he had missed a dressing-room photoshoot aimed at honouring the victims of the Manchester terror attack, which happened only two days earlier.
Manchester United defender Phil Jones was handed a two-match ban by UEFA
Jones was charged for insulting and directing abusive language towards the doping control officer, along with a ‘lack of co-operation and respect towards the doping control procedure’.
Mourinho did not rule out an appeal - the deadline is Thursday evening - as he spoke after United's 2-1 win over Sampdoria on Wednesday night.
Mourinho said: 'I put yourself in his position, he wins a European cup, he wants to celebrate with his team, he wants to get the cup, the medal, he wants to be in the pictures, and one doctor wants to close him in a small room because of the doping control.
Jones was unable to attend this photoshoot honouring Manchester terror attack victims
'I think it's very hard to control a player in this situation and Uefa should take that into consideration. It's not a normal match, it's a final and I think it would be easier for the doping control committee to have someone at the pitch with him to see there is nothing wrong with him, just a human desire to celebrate.
'So I think they should take that into consideration and it's a problem for us in terms of football but even more than that I don't think it's fair and any one of us in the same situation would react negatively.'
United are yet to decide whether to appeal but Mourinho would support Jones if he wished to make a claim.
'I would, if I was him I would, because I think it's quite unfair but when you do that you have the risk of more punishment. I don't know, it's a decision I leave with him.'
Both Jones and Daley Blind were fined £4,475 for violating UEFA Anti-Doping regulations
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