FIFA and WADA ask for advice on doping policy

World soccer's ruling body and the organisation in charge of the global fight against doping (WADA) have requested advice from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) about FIFA's controversial anti-doping regulations.

FIFA has yet to fully sign up to the WADA code, the main sticking point being its unwillingness to agree that a first offence by a player should automatically attract a two-year ban.

CAS said the opinion of the court should be available before the Winter Olympic Games start in Turin on February 10.

"The CAS has registered two requests for advisory opinion, filed separately by FIFA and WADA," the Lausanne-based court said in a statement.

"The questions submitted to CAS are essentially related to the conformity of the FIFA rules with the World Anti-Doping Code regarding in particular the minimum sanctions in doping."

The court is the final arbiter in sporting cases. WADA chairman Dick Pound has said that any international federation that does not agree to the WADA code risked being thrown out of the Olympic Games.

FIFA insists every doping case should be dealt with on its individual merits and blanket bans are unreliable under Swiss law.

Earlier this month, Middlesbrough's Portuguese defender Abel Xavier was banned by European officials for 18 months after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid.

Nigeria FA elections

FIFA has given the Nigeria FA 20 extra days in which to organise elections. The tenure of the NFA board, led by Ibrahim Galadima and voted in three years ago, expired yesterday.

Last week, Galadima announced NFA elections would be held in March after the end of the African Nations Cup. Critics have accused Galadima and board members of planning to remain in office.