No end to WADA doping dispute at FIFA Congress

The dispute between world soccer's governing body FIFA and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over doping sanctions will be discussed but not resolved at FIFA's Congress which starts tomorrow.

While FIFA has modified its statutes regarding doping and in May last year publicly signed a declaration of intent to fully sanction WADA's code, the sticking point remains WADA's insistence that a two-year ban must be imposed on first offenders.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said last week that FIFA had no overall disagreement with WADA and, in common with 35 other international federations had signed agreements with the agency in the fight against doping in sport.

"But," Blatter said, "You have to take each case on its merits, starting with a warning, to a six months punishment right up to a life ban. You cannot start from a two-year ban."

FIFA believes that such a blanket ban is unreliable under Swiss law which governs both Switzerland-based organisations.

In July, Italian swimmer Giorgia Squizzato challenged a WADA-imposed two-year ban with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (CAS) with CAS ruling in her favour that it was not a proportional punishment for her crime.

That has underpinned FIFA's view that each case must be dealt with on its merits and that it will only fully endorse WADA's code if it is allowed to rule on doping offences in football on an individual basis.

Although FIFA faces the hypothetical threat of a ban from the Olympic Games if it does not fully endorse WADA's code, that is unlikely ever to be carried out as soccer contributes hugely to the coffers of the International Olympic Committee and traditionally sells more Olympic tickets than any other sport, including athletics.