All Doping Tests At The FIFA Confederations Cup Negative – Unanswered Questions Regarding Mexico

In compliance with its Doping Control Regulations, FIFA has carried out doping tests on two players per team after each of the matches in the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005. All 48 tests conducted after the first twelve matches, including those on six Mexican players who were tested in Germany, have proved negative.

It is understood that the Mexican football association (FMF) conducted doping tests in Mexico before the start of the FIFA Confederations Cup. According to the Mexican football association’s initial report, which has yet to be completed, two players, Aaron Galindo and Salvador Carmona, tested positive. The FMF stated that the delegation received news of the positive results (analysed by the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory in Los Angeles) on Monday, 20 June 2005. The Mexican association therefore ordered the two players to return home on Wednesday, 22 June 2005, citing disciplinary problems. Neither Galindo nor Carmona were among the six players drawn to undergo official doping tests at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany.

Consequently, the Bureau of the Organising Committee for the FIFA Confederations Cup today examined the facts and officially upheld the results achieved so far by the Mexican national team. At its meeting on 13 June, the Organising Committee had formally approved the players’ lists received from the eight participants. The two players, Galindo and Carmona, were therefore eligible to play. The FIFA Bureau has now decided to delete the names of Galindo and Carmona from the players’ list. Only these two players have been struck off and the decision has no retroactive effect.

According to the FIFA Statutes and regulations, the Mexican association will be obliged to investigate these cases and impose sanctions as soon as the inquiry has been completed. The documents must subsequently be sent to FIFA to ensure that adequate punishment has been imposed under FIFA’s disciplinary regulations. At the same time, the officials at the Mexican association must send a comprehensive report, explaining the matter in full.

Further information from:

FIFA Media Department – tel.: +41-43 222 7272, fax: +41-43/222 7373 – e-mail : media@fifa.org

FIFA COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION / Zurich, 24 June 2005 / 2005-57-ConfedCup-Mexico-E.doc