Support The Moscow Times!

U.S. Requests Doping Tests of Russian World Cup Team

Pilar Olivares / Reuters

The United States reportedly requested results from Russian footballers’ doping tests following a sudden improvement in performance during the World Cup.

FIFA vowed rigorous doping tests at the tournament following allegations that Russia ran a state-run doping program in past competitions, a charge Moscow has denied. The World Cup host country started off the competition as the lowest ranked out of 32 teams, and has since won two unexpected victories that ensured their team's advance to the knockout stages.

FIFA refused to reveal how many drug tests it had conducted during the tournament or whether any tests were taken beyond those carried out after games, British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.  

“Extraordinary performances demand additional tests,” Travis Tygart, head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, told the Telegraph, citing unspecified international rules.

A FIFA spokesman told the publication to "please understand we cannot comment" on doping tests during the competition. The spokesman previously called the Russian squad “one of the most tested teams prior to the 208 FIFA World Cup.”

The state-run TASS news agency said Friday that Russian players had taken over 300 anti-doping tests, all of them clean, in 2018 alone.

Russia’s Football Union (RFU) rejected Tygart’s demand, and called the allegations of doping “simple bitterness.” Its honorary president Vyacheslav Koloskov said players were “repeatedly” subjected to doping tests at their training base north of Moscow before the championship, along with post-match testing.

“All of this irritates them,” Koloskov told the RBC business portal, referring to the American and British sports authorities attitude towards the Russian team's victories. The statements are part of an effort to undermine Russia’s “success in hosting the tournament,” he said.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more