Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has expressed his disappointment at news of Saido Berahino's two-month ban being made public.
The 23-year-old joined the Potters in January from West Bromwich Albion and came on as a substitute in his new side's 1-0 defeat at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
Newspaper reports on Thursday claimed that Berahino was banned after failing an out-of-competition drugs test, and Hughes bemoaned the timing of the leak.
"We knew at some point it would come out but it's a disappointment," Hughes told BBC Sport.
"It's probably disappointing for West Brom too because clearly they were able to keep the issue discreetly under wraps for six or seven months and, lo and behold, two days before a game against his new club it comes out.
"It's a shame as people would suggest maybe West Brom had something to do with that. I'm not saying that, you can interpret it like that."
The Football Association does not comment on its social drugs policy regulations.
Giuseppe Labellarte
