Biological passports for football

LAUSANNE - Agence France-Presse

World Anti-Doping Agency chief John Fahey speaks at a conference. AP photo

Every player at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil will be required to have a biological passport, the sport’s world governing body FIFA announced on Feb. 15.

FIFA intend to introduce the system of biological profiling at this year’s Confederations Cup in Brazil and it should be fully operational by the World Cup.

A delegation from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) met FIFA officials, and WADA president John Fahey said his agency was “very satisfied with the commitment of FIFA on the biological profiles.”

FIFA medical officer Michel D’Hooghe explained that FIFA is developing plans to introduce profiling, including a steroid profile through urine and a blood profile, for the Confederations Cup, where in- and out-of-competition tests would be conducted on all players.