How FIFA doping tests World Cup players wakes up



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Foxborough, Massachusetts, June 25, 1994: Diego Maradona smiles and laughs – and kisses his teammates. He celebrates Argentina's 2-1 win over Nigeria. Then a nurse comes to him. Together they walk – Nurse and Maradona – hand in hand. The iconic football player left for a world championship last time.

After the fight against Nigeria, Diego Maradona was tested positive for ephedrine. The Argentine was sent home from the 1994 World Cup in shame.

Since then, it's been 24 years. But Maradona is still the last football player kicked out of the World Cup because of doping.

– What credibility is it? Ask the TV 2 anti-doping expert, Mads Kaggestad.

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No Independent Observers

Mads Kaggestad is not the only one to ask this question. How FIFA conducts doping tests during the World Cup arouses the wrath of the experts

Unlike the Olympics, no independent or external expert controls doping at the World Cup, writes the German sportschau website .of. doping tests, analysis of doping tests – FIFA carries out the entire process itself.

Aftenposten asked FIFA if she could justify the practice, but has not yet received a response.

Mads Kaggestad doubts the reliability of the system.

– When there is no positive test during the World Cup, the conclusion "no doping". The public understands this easily. It's a tremendous marketing of individual sports that give up the anti-doping work. Football does not want to focus on what can disrupt the market, says Kaggestad – who himself has a track record as a professional cyclist.

Stealing Doping Samples from Russia

Doping has rarely been a hot topic. But this year, the backdrop is different. The reason is the systematic doping disease of Russia during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Four years later, Russia still lacks an approved WADA laboratory. During the World Cup, FIFA uses significant resources to send all doping samples to Lausanne, Switzerland, where it is tested.

In June, NRK informed FIFA that it would not send a whole team of observers. However, the AMA should have given FIFA the opportunity to invite observers themselves. But FIFA should not be able to respond to this offer.

Mads Kaggestad said that it was wrong.

– In the light of recent events and events in Russia, FIFA has been invited to invite independent journalists. inspectors, believes Kaggestad.

"Terrible"

Advertising of world football, however, exclaims for a fascinating World Cup full of drama and beautiful football. But under the surface it flickers. Anti-doping experts strongly criticize the implementation of the event by FIFA.

In an interview with NRK, Travis Tygart, head of the US anti-doping agency, described the absence of independent observers as "terrible".

Also the former president of AMA, Dick Pound, replies:

– He tells me that football has not changed the attitude of doping, which is largely a denial. There is no desire to take the necessary steps to ensure that football is as clean as possible, says Pound.

Change of attitude noticed

On Friday, the Russian television channel Mutko Protiv announced that an Iranian player was breeding a positive doping test during the group match. The player's A test must contain traces of testosterone.

However, FIFA will have filed the case.

This year's World Football Championships will probably also be completed without a single doping ban.

However, Mads Kaggestad still sees few signs of change

– At the level of management, there is still denial. But you can see a small change in attitude, especially in the media. People who follow football closely see that it is something we must dare to talk about.

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