Newly-elected Russian soccer chief Vitaly Mutko has vowed to investigate allegations of widespread doping by Spartak Moscow in 2003.

Spartak captain Yegor Titov received a one-year ban by UEFA in January 2004 after testing positive for the banned stimulant bromantan following the first leg of Russia's Euro 2004 play-off against Wales in November 2003.

"Doping allegations are always a serious matter and we must do a complete and thorough investigation," a spokesman for the Russian Football Union said.

Mutko, a friend and a former colleague of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was voted RFU president last month, replacing long-serving chief Vyacheslav Koloskov.

Despite allegations that doping has been rife in Russian soccer for years, the Titov case shocked many within the game.

Wales lodged appeals with UEFA and the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to try to overturn Russia's victory and take their place in Euro 2004.

The appeals were rejected by both UEFA and CAS. However, Russian media has now accused Spartak of systematic doping in 2003 and that the soccer authorities knew about it and tried to conceal the problem.

"The players were simply used as guinea pigs," former Spartak defender Maxim Demenko said.

"I know that sooner or later we will suffer the after-effects of all that (doping)," added another ex-Spartak player, Ukraine international Vladislav Vashchyuk.

One newspaper wrote that several Spartak players had been suddenly withdrawn from the national team on the eve of Russia's key Euro 2004 qualifier against Ireland in September 2003.

Soon afterwards, Spartak sacked their head coach Andrei Chernyshov along with team doctor Anatoly Shchyukin.