Football
Associated Press 8y

FIFA gives Russian club FC Rostov meldonium test in doping sting

MEXICO CITY -- FIFA doping testers turned up unannounced on Thursday to collect samples from FC Rostov amid suspicions of meldonium use during their surprise pursuit of the Russian Super League title.

The Rostov starting 11 were tested after they won 3-1 at leaders Dynamo Moscow to move within two points of the Russian capital club with two games remaining, FIFA medical chief Jiri Dvorak told The Associated Press.

Rostov only remained in the Russian top flight after a relegation playoff last year and has stunned the nation by being involved in the title race this season. Dvorak said Rostov, owned by the regional government, was "absolutely" compliant with his doping testing team.

"We have today done an unannounced [doping] control of a football club, Rostov," Dvorak told the AP at the FIFA Congress in Mexico City shortly after the tests were completed in the Russian capital.

"We tested the entire team, the 11 who were on the start list," Dvorak said. "The entire procedure took two hours. It is done and the samples will be tested in one of the accredited laboratories in Europe."

Meldonium was banned beginning Jan. 1 by the World Anti-Doping Agency. There have been more than 170 failed tests in various sports and countries -- many in Russia -- since the drug was prohibited.

The Latvian-made drug, which is typically prescribed for heart conditions, was widely used as a supplement by athletes in Eastern European countries. The drug increases blood flow, which improves exercise capacity by carrying more oxygen to the muscles.

"There were some rumors in the media about meldonium and Rostov ordering meldonium," Dvorak said. "What is true on it I can't really say anything ... we are not really following every rumor but [with] the current situation with meldonium we thought it is just a good example just to do it."

The highest profile case involves Maria Sharapova, who announced that she tested positive during the Australian Open in January.

Seven of Rostov's starting 11 on Thursday featured Russian born players.

The team lineup was: Soslan Djanaev, Dmitri Poloz, Bastos, Christian Noboa, Pavel Mogilevets, Sardar Azmoun, Ivan Novoseltsev, Boris Rotenberg, Fedor Koudryashov, Cesar Navas and Aleksandr Erokhin.

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