FIFA knew about the cover-up of Russia player’s positive drug test 18 months ago

FIFA and World Cup hosts Russia are plunged into fresh doping turmoil, as The Mail on Sunday reveal new evidence of state-sponsored doping and cover-ups the world governing body have buried.

The incredible details include new information about how Russia’s Sports Ministry covered up the positive test of one of the players initially named in their World Cup squad and then swapped his tainted urine for a clean sample.

This comes as fans around the world, including Russia, have renewed doubts about the trustworthiness of the national team following their record-breaking start to this World Cup.

There is evidence Ruslan Kambolov’s urine was swapped for a clean sample back in May 2015

We can reveal that FIFA had documentary proof of institutional cover-ups in Russian football 18 months ago — but have apparently done nothing to hold Russia’s FA or Sports Ministry to account.

The scale of the corruption was huge, with investigators saying 155 Russian football doping cases they uncovered were the ‘tip of the iceberg’ and at least 34 of those produced paperwork, testimony and other corroboration they felt would give FIFA a good chance of formal disciplinary proceedings.

FIFA claim they have been actively looking at the issue for more than a year. But they have yet to prosecute a single case, publicly at least, issuing only bland statements that investigations are ongoing. Richard Pound, the former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), believes it is ‘obvious’ why, telling The Mail on Sunday: ‘They have the matter of billions of dollars at stake in having a hassle-free World Cup.’

Russia go into their third Group A match on Monday with two wins and eight goals from two games, or the best start by tournament hosts ever, having not won for almost a year. The fact that their players combined have also run further in their two games than any nation — 143 miles (230km) — has left fans questioning their performances.

Richard Pound, the former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said: ‘They have the matter of billions of dollars at stake in having a hassle-free World Cup’