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Agence France-Presse

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has ruled out taking the 2018 World Cup from Russia in the wake of the latest findings of the McLaren report.
“Fifa is not the world police and certainly not the world doping police,” the head of world football’s governing body told German magazine Der Spiegel.
“Our disciplinary bodies will take care of anything in the McLaren report which has anything to do with football.
“Boycotts and bans have never solved any problems.”

The McLaren report, the second part of which was announced 10 days ago, revealed systematic doping in Russia between 2011 and 2015 which involved more than 1,000 athletes in several sports, including football.
Infantino says Fifa are still waiting for the ‘relevant information’ from the McLaren reports which mentions 31 tampered doping samples from footballers.
Fifa promises “appropriate steps” over alleged Russian doping cover-up following Wada report
The Swiss says “if measures need to be taken, they will be”, but he pointed to the work Fifa is already doing to combat doping.
“Testing was not implemented by Brazil in 2014 or by South Africa in 2010 and won’t be carried out by Russia in 2018, but by Fifa ,” he added.

If something goes wrong, “that will be our responsibility, our fault,” said Infantino, “but we are confident our anti-doping measures will work.”
When asked about the recent ‘Football Leaks’, reported by several publications including Der Spiegel, which alleged tax evasion by high-profile stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho, Infantino said it’s a matter for individual national federations.
Russia ‘hijacked’ sport with mass doping, says investigator Richard McLaren claiming ‘institutional conspiracy’
“It is naive to believe that Fifa can know everything from Zurich which goes on during every transfer in the world,” said Infantino.
“So it makes sense to give the responsibility to the unions and federations.

“They should check the transfers, which take place in their own country.”
He added “when someone hasn’t paid their taxes, drives too fast or is drunk behind the wheel, then Fifa is not responsible for that.”


State-sponsored doping, PEDs and beer drinking: a history of drugs in the Olympics

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How will the International Olympic Committee clear Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at Paris 2024 Olympics?

Who gets Olympic gold, silver and bronze now that Russian skater Valieva has been banned for doping?

Russian doping scandal

‘Fifa are not world doping police’ - says president Gianni Infantino

Russian President Vladimir Putin (rigth) and Fifa president Gianni Infantino in June 2016. Photo: AFP

(FILES) This file photo taken on April 22, 2016 shows FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaking during a press conference in the Qatari capital Doha. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has ruled out taking the 2018 World Cup from Russia in the wake of the latest findings of the McLaren report. "FIFA is not the world police and certainly not the world doping police," the head of world football's governing body told German magazine Der Spiegel. / AFP PHOTO / KARIM JAAFAR

(FILES) This file photo taken on March 18, 2016 shows FIFA President Gianni Infantino giving a press conference following an executive meeting of the world football governing body at its headquarters in Zurich. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BUHOLZER

epa05648662 Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko (L) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino prior to the draw of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 in Kazan, Russia, 26 November 2016. EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH

More than 1,000 Russian athletes involved in doping conspiracy

Russia’s Sports Ministry is accused of running an elaborate state-sponsored doping scheme, including switching and changing samples by opening “tamper-proof” bottles. Photo: Reuters

epa05667160 (FILE) A file picture dated 07 February 2014 of Team Russia with flag bearer Alexander Zubkov (R) during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia. According to a report presented by Richard McLaren, a member of the independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), on 08 December 2016 in London, Britain, more than 1,000 Russian athletes were involved in state-sponsored doping since 2011, news reports stated. EPA/BARBARA WALTON *** Local Caption *** 52752831

Lawyer Richard McLaren poses for a portrait after delivering a report for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), in London, Britain December 9, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall

epa05667066 Russian Olympic champion pole-vaulter and Russia's representative in WADA Yelena Isinbayeva talks to the media as she takes part in the Russian Track and Field federation conference to elect their new president in Moscow, Russia, 09 December 2016. Russian national Track and Field national team was banned to take part in the Olympic games in Rio due to mass anti- doping rules violation EPA/SERGEI CHIRIKOV

Sport

Football

Second part of McLaren report revealed systematic doping in Russia between 2011 and 2015 which involved more than 1,000 athletes in several sports, including football


Fifa