'FIFA out of step with WADA code' - CAS

FIFA and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) were both claiming victory yesterday after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) published a non-binding opinion on a long simmering dispute between them.

In a 68-page report, CAS told FIFA that its anti-doping regulations did not correspond fully to those of WADA.

The court added, however, that FIFA is not legally obliged under Swiss law to modify any of its existing rules.

"This independent opinion confirms that FIFA's anti-doping rules do not comply with the World Anti-Doping Code," WADA chairman Dick Pound said.

"We will now wait to see whether FIFA wishes our assistance in making sure that their rules are amended in time for the World Cup."

FIFA and WADA both made separate applications for an advisory opinion from the court following years of wrangling over the differences in their respective rules.

FIFA has yet to fully sign up to the WADA code, the main sticking point being its unwillingness to agree that a first offence by a player should automatically attract a two-year ban.

In its own written response to the court's findings, FIFA said CAS had "confirmed FIFA's practice of using individual case management when sanctioning doping offences."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter was quoted as saying that yesterday's legal opinion "laid the foundations for resolving any differences that exist with regard to the World Anti-Doping Code".

According to the report neither WADA nor the IOC are legally able to force FIFA to adopt the WADA code.