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Berlin - FIFA president Gianni Infantino has ruled out
taking the 2018 World Cup from Russia in the wake of the latest findings of the
McLaren report.
"FIFA is not the world police and certainly not the
world doping police," the head of world football's governing body told
German magazine Der Spiegel.
"Our disciplinary bodies will take care of anything in
the McLaren report which has anything to do with football.
"Boycotts and bans have never solved any
problems," Infantino added as he ruled out stripping Russia of the 2018
World Cup finals.
The McLaren report, the second part of which was announced ten days ago, revealed systematic doping in Russia between 2011 and 2015 which involved more than 1,000 athletes in several sports, including football.
Infantino says FIFA are still waiting for the 'relevant
information' from the McLaren reports which mentions 31 tampered doping samples
from footballers.
The Swiss says "if measures need to be taken, they will
be", but he pointed to the work FIFA is already doing to combat doping.
"Testing was not implemented by Brazil in 2014 or by
South Africa in 2010 and won't be carried out by Russia in 2018, but by
FIFA," he added.
If something goes wrong, "that will be our
responsibility, our fault," said Infantino, "but we are confident our
anti-doping measures will work."
When asked about the recent 'Football Leaks', reported by
several publications including Der Spiegel, which alleged tax evasion by
high-profile stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho, Infantino
said it's a matter for individual national federations.
"It is naive to believe that FIFA can know everything
from Zurich which goes on during every transfer in the world," said
Infantino.
"So it makes sense to give the responsibility to the
unions and federations.
"They should check the transfers, which take place in
their own country."
He added "when someone hasn't paid their taxes, drives too fast or is drunk behind the wheel, then FIFA is not responsible for that."
