Danny Cadamarteri could be banned from playing for City until November after failing a drugs test.

The striker will be officially charged by the Football Association within the next couple of weeks.

Any punishment could range from a rap on the knuckles to a six-month playing ban which would rule Cadamarteri out of Colin Todd's plans for the start of next season.

A ban would start immediately from the day of the charge so he would not miss any matches for the next three months after the current campaign finished on Saturday.

As well as not being allowed to play in any type of game, any such punishment would prevent Cadamarteri from training with the other players.

It is understood that Cadamarteri tested positive in a post-match urine sample taken by UK Sport, the national anti-doping agency.

They have carried out a record 8,000 tests over 50 different sports in the last year with about 1.5 per cent failing.

Cadamarteri has the right to appeal but it is not known whether he will dispute the case. He could also face disciplinary action from the club.

City secretary Jon Pollard said: "It is club policy not to comment on medical matters."

A spokesman for UK Sport said the case was now in the hands of the FA. He added: "We just do the testing and then, if it turns out positive, we pass the information on to the governing body regarding any disciplinary action."

It is not the first time Cadamarteri, who is in his second spell with his hometown club, has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons.

In October 2000, while playing for Everton, he was convicted of assaulting lap dancer Joeline Joel and fined £2,000. At a later trial he was also ordered to carry out 180 hours' community service for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

And he has only recently finished a six-month driving ban he received earlier this season. Cadamarteri is halfway through a two-year contract with the Bantams after rejoining them from Sheffield United last July. He played in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest at Valley Parade over the weekend.

An FA spokesman said that they would not be issuing any statement before a disciplinary hearing had been concluded. Cadamarteri was unavailable for comment.