The United States reportedly requested results from Russian footballers’ doping tests following a sudden improvement in performance during the World Cup. FIFA vowed rigorous doping tests at the tournament following allegations that Russia ran a state-run doping program in past competitions, a charge Moscow has denied. The World Cup host country started off the competition as the lowest ranked out of 32 teams, and has since won two unexpected victories that ensured their team's advance to the knockout stages.

news Scorned Football Coach Becomes Man of the Hour Read more

FIFA refused to reveal how many drug tests it had conducted during the tournament or whether any tests were taken beyond those carried out after games, British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday. “Extraordinary performances demand additional tests,” Travis Tygart, head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, told the Telegraph, citing unspecified international rules. A FIFA spokesman told the publication to "please understand we cannot comment" on doping tests during the competition. The spokesman previously called the Russian squad “one of the most tested teams prior to the 208 FIFA World Cup.”