Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand has requested a personal hearing with the Football Association after being charged last month with "failure or refusal" to take a drugs test.

"We have received a response from Rio Ferdinand," an FA spokesman said on Thursday. "He has denied the charge of misconduct and has requested a personal hearing."

The date of the hearing has yet to be scheduled.

The 24-year-old failed to attend the drugs test at United's Carrington training ground on September 23, saying that he forgot because he was moving house.

Although he passed a subsequent test 36 hours later he was excluded from England's squad for the decisive Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey on October 11.

The FA's decision provoked criticism from Manchester United and the players' union, while Ferdinand's England team mates threatened to go on strike unless he was reinstated.

BACKED DOWN

The players eventually backed down, but only after issuing a statement which accused their governing body of letting them down over the affair.

After charging Ferdinand in relation to Regulation 1(c) of its Doping Control Regulations, the player was given 14 days to respond.

The FA have come under increasing pressure over their handling of the matter and FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Monday criticised the FA for taking too long to deal with Ferdinand.

United paid an English transfer record 30 million pounds for Ferdinand when he joined them from Leeds United last year.

Born in Peckham, south London, Ferdinand started his career at West Ham United. He has won 33 England caps.