Moscow // Russian deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko on Sunday shrugged off a report that the country's entire 2014 World Cup squad was under FIFA investigation for doping.
British newspaper The Mail on Sunday wrote that the Russian players are being probed by FIFA as part of a broader scandal over allegations of state-backed doping in the country.
But Mutko -- who also heads the country's football authorities -- blasted the report as "nonsense" and insisted that there has never been any problem with doping in the Russian game.
And FIFA insisted all players including all of the Russian squad underwent pre-competition and post-match tests in Brazil.
"All of which resulted negative," a spokesman for football's governing body said.
The statement added: "FIFA has simply confirmed that, in close collaboration with (World Anti Doping Agency) WADA, it is still investigating the allegations involving football players in the so-called McLaren report.
"However, FIFA did not refer to any particular players, since it cannot comment on the status of ongoing investigations."
In Moscow, Mutko told TASS news agency that Russian football was clean.
"There have never been and will never be any problems with doping in our football.
"Our team are permanently being tested, they undergo doping tests after every match."
He added: "They (The Mail on Sunday) have written some sort of nonsense. Don't bother reading the English newspapers in the morning."
The Mail on Sunday reported that the 2018 World Cup hosts' squad from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and a further 11 players are being looked into after they ended up on a list of over 1,000 "people of interest" compiled by world anti-doping authorities.
The article quoted a FIFA spokesman as saying that football's governing body was "still investigating the allegations".
There is as yet no clear proof that the players were guilty of doping despite the alleged suspicions, the newspaper added.
The latest claims threatens to cast a shadow as Russia hosts the Confederations Cup tournament a year ahead of the kick off of the World Cup in the country.
Four of the Russian players from the 2014 World Cup squad in Rio have been involved at the Confederations Cup.
Russia was earlier accused by WADA of running a state-sponsored operation across sports to aid and protect drug cheats.
Most of Russia's track-and-field team was banned from the Olympic games in Rio over the doping scandal and its entire Paralympics squad was excluded.
The allegations that football might have been involved could represent a major new twist in the doping saga and could drag in some of Russia's highest-profile sports stars.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m
MATCH RESULT
Liverpool 4 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Liverpool: Salah (26'), Lovren (40'), Solanke (53'), Robertson (85')
The alternatives
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• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
