news: No positive drug tests at World Cup

peteo · Aug 6, 2002

Nice positive note about the WC:

Blatter: No positive drug tests at World Cup

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- FIFA chief Sepp Blatter said Monday that more than 500 drug tests conducted on players at soccer's World Cup in Japan and South Korea were negative.

"During this World Cup, we carried out 256 urine doping controls, all negative. And for the first time . . . we carried also out 256 blood tests, and all were also [negative]," Blatter said at a news conference.

"Over 30 out-of-competition tests were made before the kickoff in the different training camps of the teams . . . all clean, and that's good."

For the first time at the World Cup, doping controls included out-of-competition checks involving the 32 finalists before the tournament and blood testing after every game.

FIFA medical chief Michel D'Hooghe said in Yokohama, Japan during the Cup that between league, cup and national team games, top players compete more than 70 times before reaching the World Cup.

The heavy schedule not only turns small injuries into more severe ones, D'Hooghe said, but increases the pressures on players to use drugs as a way around the wear and tear.
Click to expand...

helmzgk · Aug 26, 2002

That's because the Dutch didn't qualify

sidspaceman · Aug 26, 2002

Thats a low blow helmzgk.

Super Hamatachi redded · Aug 27, 2002

good result

Samarkand · Aug 27, 2002

I believe they stopped testing once Maradona eventually got to Japan..................

Sachin · Aug 27, 2002

Originally posted by sidspaceman
Thats a low blow helmzgk.
Click to expand...

But a funny one.

Given the number of bad haircuts on display, I'm surprised at least one person wasn't caught.

Sachin

Chachi King · Aug 28, 2002

what about that one Tunisian guy who got a 6 month ban?

skipshady · Aug 28, 2002

Originally posted by helmzgk
That's because the Dutch didn't qualify
Click to expand...

Ouch. Though I believe a Portugese player (Kenedy?) was disqualified before the tournament.

Maczebus · Aug 28, 2002

Doesn't 'positive' mean 'good'?

So maybe everyone was on drugs.

Would explain some of the refereeing decisions.