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Blatter hits back at WADA

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has hit back at claims that football is in breach of the worldwide anti-doping rules.

Last week, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chairman Dick Pound said he was not satisfied FIFA had adopted the code because of their refusal to impose a minimum two-year ban for drugs offences and hinted the situation could threaten football's Olympic status.

Blatter on Tuesday retaliated by insisting WADA had already accepted that football complies with the rules.

He pointed out that Pound himself has signed the FIFA declaration adopting the WADA code last year, and that last month WADA director general David Howman said all 28 summer sports including football were now in line with the code.

Blatter said in a statement "The WADA list of sanctions ranges from a caution to a lifelong ban.

"FIFA's sanctions for doping offences are, however, harsher in that every infringement, including positive results after out-of-competition tests and so-called designer drugs, carries a minimum suspension of six months with no ceiling and, possibly, a lifelong ban.

"FIFA went one step further in its campaign against doping by introducing blood as well as urine tests at the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan in every one of the 64 matches."

Pound said last week: "We are not satisfied that FIFA has properly and thoroughly adopted the code. We've done our best to bring them to the table, but we haven't managed to get them to be completely compliant.

"It's not impossible the WADA executive committee will be prepared to rule that FIFA is not compliant with the code. That brings a whole rash of possible consequences, including with the IOC and Olympic charter.

"The IOC would have to say: `Listen, you know what the Olympic charter says and we've got summer games coming up in three years. You're putting the Olympic football tournament at risk by being non-compliant, so please get on with it."'

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WADA are a liability to sport and to its participants. They simply focus on punishment without any regard to the health of the sportsperson or that persons responsibility for a failed test.
They should be more concerned with encouraging sportspersons to comply for health reasons and adopt a code that offers a small punishment with constant subsequent monitoring to make sure of future compliance. The heavier the penalties the less likely others will inform on fellow competitors and the more likelyhood of criminal activity as was the case with prohibition in the 20's.
WADA should be challenged not congratulated!
If you want any further comment let me know.

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