FIFA has declared a staunch stance against doping for the upcoming Football World Cup, announcing that all participating players will undergo longitudinal monitoring with a biological passport and undergo urine and blood checks.
“The teams will receive instructions next week. We will commence examinations from March 1st. The logistics are in place, and we are committed to ensuring a sixth consecutive World Cup without doping,” disclosed Jiri Dvorak, FIFA’s medical director, while emphasizing that the dates of the controls will remain undisclosed.
Furthermore, blood and urine samples will be analyzed in Lausanne, with the results stored in each player’s “biological passport.” These passports will enable comparisons with samples taken during the World Cup. Approximately 2,000 players who could potentially be selected for the World Cup have been identified by FIFA and will undergo these examinations. This marks the first instance of longitudinal monitoring being implemented for a World Cup, signifying FIFA’s determination to eradicate doping from the competition.
