North Korean women fail doping tests
Reuters - Thursday 07 July 2011, 12:15
BERLIN - Two North Korean players have
been provisionally suspended after failing doping tests at the Women's World Cup, football's world governing body FIFA said on
Thursday.
FIFA named the players as Jong Sun Song (pictured) and Sim Pok Jong and
said the ban took effect before Wednesday's match against
Colombia.
FIFA said it had received the results of the tests, taken
after the team's previous games, on Wednesday morning.
FIFA added that under anti-doping regulations, the whole
North Korea team was subjected to a doping test after
Wednesday's game which ended 0-0.
"The target testing of the entire North Korea team was
coordinated with (world anti-doping agency) WADA," football's
governing body said in a statement.
On Tuesday, FIFA announced that Colombia goalkeeper Yineth
Varon had been suspended after failing an out-of-competition
doping test conducted in Leverkusen on June 25.
Colombia and North Korea failed to score a goal between them
as they went out in the first round.
FIFA said neither North Korea nor the players had requested
analysis of the 'B' samples from their tests, although this
would be conducted in any case.
"FIFA would like to emphasise once again its determination
to keep football free of doping," it said.
"It is FIFA's duty and will to protect players from harm and
ensure that footballers can compete on an even playing field.
"FIFA's anti-doping strategy relies on education and
prevention, as well as on respect for the dignity and privacy of
each player who is subject to testing."
The statement added: "FIFA bases any decisions related to
its anti-doping programme on the specifics of the game,
scientific evidence and analysis of validated doping statistics.
"FIFA's determination to fight doping is demonstrated by
stringent doping control regulations, ongoing data collection
and the support of evidence-based research."
Germany, Japan, Sweden, Australia, Brazil, the United
States, England and France have qualified for the Women's World
Cup quarter-finals.