The seven Under-23 players facing drugs charges in Miami seem set to return to Bermuda for Christmas.

Bermuda Football Association general secretary Mr. David Sabir told The Royal Gazette yesterday that the seven would probably return on Friday.

Meanwhile, other developments yesterday in the soccer saga included: Shadow Health Minister and BFA executive committee member Mr. Nelson Bascome blasting the British Consulate for failing to help the "Miami Seven''; Mr. Bascome predicting resignations and sweeping changes in soccer after the investigation into the scandal See Sports, Page 37 ; and Under-23 squad Technical Director Mr. Burkhard Ziese handing in a 26-page report on the controversy to Youth and Sport Minister the Hon. Pamela Gordon.

Last night Ms Gordon said the membership of the Commission of Inquiry into the soccer drugs crisis would be known tomorrow.

It has already been agreed former Premier the Hon. Sir John Sharpe will head the investigation.

The Commission's objectives should also be finalised by tomorrow, said Ms Gordon.

"I don't want to make the terms of reference so narrow that they only encompass what happened in Miami. We need to look at the real problems in football.'' Ms Gordon said she was now studying reports by Mr. Ziese and the BFA into the controversy.

"I intend to bounce the reports off my technical people at work and then hand any information over to the board if they request it.'' Ms Gordon was keen to point out Government had already made efforts to curb use of drugs by spectators at soccer games.

"When it was brought to our attention, the Director of Youth and Sport and myself made our rounds to every single club,'' she said. "We talked with them about the problems, and said there seemed to be this turning of a blind eye.'' Mr. Bascome said he hoped the inquiry would be completed by the end of January and predicted sweeping recommendations would flow from the probe.

"I think you will see resignations. I think you will see persons changing the course of football in Bermuda.

"I think honestly this board of inquiry will also change the course at which Bermuda looks at drugs.

"It's more than just football, it's a community thing.'' Mr. Bascome also blasted the media's coverage of the Miami affair.

"There has been a lot of misrepresentation by a lot of persons who have written our young people off.'' He believed, too, there had been a presumption the players were guilty.

The British Consulate, which he went to while in Miami, came into his line of fire as well.

"The Consulate were more concerned with the presumption of guilt than anything else. They had not used their jurisdiction in attempting to assist the players at all.'' Mr. Bascome said he saw the seven players, and they were in "good spirits''.

Yesterday the players' lawyer, Mr. H.T. Smith, could not give a return date for his seven clients, who were freed from jail on Monday.

"The players, the lawyers and the investigators are in the process of fully investigating and preparing defences now that the players are free and there are no holds on them,'' he said. "They are in my office now and are very relieved. Jail is a very hard, violent, and depressing place to be.

"They are happy to have survived ten days without anybody getting hurt.'' Mr. Smith said the players -- Donnie Charles, Shawn Riley, Herbie Dillas, Meshach Wade, Keishon Smith, Kevin Jennings and Tokia Russell -- would plead not guilty to the charges of possessing and importing marijuana.

"They are victims, not criminals. They plead not guilty to knowingly being in possession of the drug.'' Mr. Smith said a December 30 date had been fixed for the players' arraignment.

He could not say whether they would appear for it.

Chief of the narcotics division of the US State Attorney's office in Dade County, Mr. David Weinstein, pointed out the seven could face arrest if they did not appear at court on December 30.

They risked losing their bond, and Bermuda Police would be asked to extradite them.

Mr. Weinstein anticipated the prosecution filing charges at the arraignment.