By Andrew Warshaw
February 18 – For the first time ever, FIFA are planning impromptu precautionary dope tests ahead of the World Cup despite the tournament having no history of persistent drug-related issues.
The last positive dope test during the World Cup finals was the notorious case of Diego Maradona in 1994 in the United States but FIFA’s chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak says all players will be tested unannounced between March 1 and the World Cup opener on June 12.
Dvorak said surprise visits will be made to get samples from an “entire squad” after March 1, the date teams have to tell FIFA where they will be training and playing friendlies. “From now on every player competing in the FIFA World Cup Brazil could be tested at least once, at any time, in any part of the world,” he said. “We will not issue any prior warnings so the test visits will be a surprise.”
This is the first World Cup at which FIFA will be using biological passports, which record players’ history and help detect illegal substances from any changes in their blood profile, in addition to urine samples.
Dvorak also said FIFA was still considering whether to allow water drinking breaks during games but downplayed heat and humidity concerns in Brazil.
“We don’t think the conditions will be as difficult as people are saying,” he said. “We can introduce extra water breaks and provide players with cold towels where necessary, but that’s a medical decision that will be judged on a case by case basis, before each game, by our team.”
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