FIFA President Gianni Infantino hit out on Friday at attempts to "undermine" the World Cup in Russia, "saying he will not judge the country on the investigation which documented a state-sponsored doping program" that included football, according to Harris & Dunbar of the AP. Infantino said that it was still "very good" working with Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who has been accused of "personally intervening to cover up a doping case of at least one foreign footballer in the Russian Premier League." The details emerged in a report authored by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren. The report "cast doubt on Russia's suitability to host sporting events." Infantino: "It’s not my job to judge this report. As president of football my concern has to be on football matters, has to be on doping in football." There appears "no risk of Russia losing the 2018 World Cup," with only nine months until it hosts the Confederations Cup. Infantino said, "We should see this as a chance rather than trying to be negative. We should see the World Cup in Russia as a chance for FIFA but also for Russia to show itself in a positive light as an organizer and a welcoming country" (AP, 9/16).
'IMAGINATION AND LIES': REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported Infantino has dismissed as "imagination and lies" any suggestion that he "lobbied in favor of Aleksander Ceferin," who was elected president of UEFA. Ceferin, "little-known outside his native Slovenia until three months ago, swept to a resounding win." Infantino: "Mr. Ceferin has said it as well, this is imagination and lies and I think the result speaks for itself. ... It's an insult to the intelligence of the 55 associations who go and vote ... convinced by a program." In July, FIFA denied a report in Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant that Infantino was "interfering in UEFA's election" (REUTERS, 9/16).
UNDER INVESTIGATION: In London, Jack Austin reported FIFA has launched an investigation into Slovakia defender Jan Durica after he "claimed their last-minute defeat to England this month was fixed by the referee." Adam Lallana scored a 95th-minute winner in Sam Allardyce’s first game as England manager after Martin Skrtel saw red and Slovakia "had to play the final 33 minutes with 10 men." The former Liverpool defender "was sent off after two challenges on Harry Kane." Durica believed it was "an unfair dismissal and made the astonishing claims" after the game. He said, "There is only one place at the World Cup. Why should Slovakia go there when we have England in the group? Of course, they will always prefer the stronger team. Probably, the referee exactly knew how to do it. Today we might have played more than England" (INDEPENDENT, 9/17).
