The fight against doping at the World Cup in Russia raises serious doubts about its honesty. According to German journalist Hayo Zeppelt, the International Football Association has closed independent experts, including from WADA, access to the system of checking the samples of football players. He recalled that at the previous World Championships from the World Anti-Doping Agency there was an observer mission. However, at the World Cup in Russia, football functionaries did without the help of WADA. "Now the tournament has no external and independent experts. Sampling, transportation and testing of samples - FIFA does everything on its own, "the journalist complained in the pages of Sportschau. de. Zeppelt also drew attention to the thesis in a letter from FIFA, which he received in response to his remarks. Thus, the text says that just over 10% of the samples will be opened for testing for signs of use of banned drugs. How many samples taken are planned to be checked, not specified. According to Zeppelt, this means that 90% of samples will not be tested. In general, the German journalist states, the International Football Association does not want transparency in the fight against dishonest athletes. Heiko Zeppelt gained fame through documentary films about doping in Russian sports.

In fact, with Zeppelt's giving a loud international scandal, which struck all over the sport in Russia, primarily in the Olympic disciplines. As a result, the Russian team was suspended from participating in the Olympics in Pyeongchang. It is worth noting that a little earlier Zeppelt accused the use of doping team of Brazil at the World Cup 2018. On the eve of the pentacomponent match with Mexico in the 1/8 finals came his film "Secrets of doping: the Brazilian twelfth player - tricks in the country of football".