FIFA Congress ratifies doping code

FIFA on Friday ratified an agreement with the World Anti Doping Agency to fight doping in football.

Delegates from national football federations voted overwhelmingly in favour of accepting the WADA code, with 175 votes to one against, on the final day of the 58th FIFA Congress here.

FIFA president Joseph Blatter and WADA president John Fahey signed a “letter of intent” last February after discussing the revised version of the World Anti-Doping Code and the UNESCO Convention.

The world governing body, encompassing 208 national federations, had past reservations about the Code and how it could be applied to footballers.

Fifa signed up to the agreement after the code was revised to allow greater flexibility on sanctions.