Blatter shocked by North Korean drug tests

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has blasted the latest doping revelation involving North Korea at the Women’s World Cup.

The number of players from the country who have tested positive to a banned substance at the Women’s World Cup has risen to five after three more players failed drug tests.

The North Korea squad was tested after the group match against Colombia following failed tests by Song Jong-Sun Song and Jong Pok-Sim.

Now a further three players have tested positive, although FIFA said they wouldn’t disclose the players’ names nor the banned substance.

“As the proceedings are still in progress, FIFA will not disclose the names of the three players whose test results have produced adverse analytical findings, in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code,” a FIFA statement said.

Blatter told a news conference he was stunned by the results.

“This is a shock,” Blatter said.

“We are confronted with a very, very bad case of doping and it hurts.”

However, North Korean officials are blaming traditional steroid-laced Chinese medicine from musk deer glands which they claim they used to treat injuries to players who were alleged to have been hit by a lightning strike.

“The North Korean officials said they didn’t use it to improve performance,” the head of FIFA’s medical committee, Michel D’Hooghe, said.

“They said they had a serious lightning accident with several players injured and they gave it as therapy.”