Russia finds itself embroiled in another controversy, as the 23 members of the 2014 FIFA World Cup squad are set to be under the doping scanner.
A Fifa spokesman told the Daily Mail, “Fifa is still investigating the allegations made against [Russian] football players.”
Fifa is understood to be in possession of detailed evidence and intelligence. Dick Pound, a former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), told the Daily Mail “There is a huge onus on Fifa to reach a sensible conclusion on these matters before the World Cup takes place. It is incumbent on them to say what steps they are taking, what they find, and take whatever action necessary to protect the integrity of sport. Even within a governing body with as little credibility remaining as Fifa, if you were a senior official you wouldn’t want to be part of a body that ignores this.
“There has been an institutional denial of doping in football for years … I’ve seen too many presentations by Fifa, straight out of fantasy land, about how they don’t have a problem. They absolutely have to take this case seriously.”
The 23-man squad, who were knocked out in the group stages of the Brazil World Cup three years ago, are among 34 Russian footballers being investigated by football’s world governing body. Five of the 23 players tested in 2014 are members of the squad that was knocked out of the Confederations Cup on Saturday.
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