Russia are riding high on two opening game victories, against Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and have already qualified for the round of 16. But, the US Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart has called on FIFA to test the Russian national football team for doping following their opening victories at the World Cup.
“Russia must be aggressively tested to safeguard public confidence in the integrity of the World Cup,” Tygart was quoted as saying by The Telegraph on Thursday night, adding that “extraordinary performances demand additional tests.”
However, FIFA refused to reveal the number of doping tests conducted on Russia’s World Cup squad saying that they could not comment on such tests.
Russia qualified for the round of 16 for the first time since the break-up of the Soviet Union after thrashing Saudi Arabia 5-0 in the opening game of the tournament on June 14 and beating Egypt 3-1 on Tuesday.
ussian players will face Uruguay in their final group A game on Monday. The hosts will then play Spain, Portugal or Iran in the round of 16.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 14 and will continue until July 15, with the matches being played in 11 cities across Russia.
RUSSIA COACH WINS GRAFFITI HONOUR
Stanislav Cherchesov is getting the big graffiti treatment in Russia after coaching the home team to the second round of the World Cup for the first time in 32 years.
After Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Egypt in St. Petersburg, his familiar moustachioed features appeared at a city intersection, spray-painted across a wall.
“We just had to do it,” said local artist Artyom Burzh, who started the painting after watching the match.
“He’s just a beauty,” he said of the burly and balding 54-year-old former Spartak Moscow goalkeeper. “He’s just cosmic,” he added, quoting a line from a song which adorns the mural.
Cherchesov has forced Russians to adjust their opinions of a national team most had expected to fail miserably. But as one passer-by, who gave his name also as Artyom, that may not last: