Sochi: Germany manager Joachim Loew wants the names of any players caught doping to be made public, after Russian football officials were on Wednesday accused of tampering with urine samples.
A year before they host the World Cup, Russian football has come under the spotlight amidst fresh allegations of drug abuse.
Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, the author of an explosive report into Russian doping, has told German broadcaster ARD he has new evidence suggesting that positive tests taken from Russian players were swapped with clean samples.
Loew says any footballer caught doping must be named and shamed.
“It’s an ongoing investigation and I don’t want to heat the speculation,” said Loew in Wednesday’s press conference ahead of Germany’s Confederations Cup semi-final against Mexico in Sochi on Thursday, with the kick-off slated for 10pm UAE time.
“But if it’s confirmed, I would like to hear the names being made public.
“The anti-doping agencies and Fifa [world football’s governing body] should call a spade a spade, then we will see what happens.
“Should it [the allegation] be true, I want to hear names from the institutions who regularly test us.
“If players have doped, they should be suspended and banned.”
McLaren said the World Anti-Doping Agency had seized 155 samples from 2018 World Cup hosts Russia for re-testing, with Fifa kept informed.
A report from the UK media over the weekend claimed Fifa is investigating if Russia’s 2014 World Cup squad were part of a state-run doping scheme, but no players from the finals three years ago in Brazil returned a positive test.
Fifa says “it is still investigating allegations” that footballers were involved in a state-sponsored doping programme in Russia.
Germany are the kings of the penalty shoot-out — but the world champions hope to see off Mexico without needing dreaded spot kicks.
The Germans have won all five penalty shoot-outs they have faced since 1976 at either World Cup finals or European championships.
Having won their Confed Cup group, Germany are on a 13-match unbeaten run, dating back just under a year to their Euro 2016 semi-final defeat to hosts France.
Left-back Jonas Hector said Germany’s young guns have not yet practised spot-kicks and hope to beat Mexico over the 90 minutes.
“We would like to avoid this situation [penalties],” admitted Hector.
“We haven’t specifically trained for it and we’ll take it as it comes.”
Nevertheless, the Germans seem to have penalty-taking in their blood.
Their Under-21 team beat England 4-3 on penalties on Tuesday to book their place in Friday’s final at the European Under-21 championships in Poland.
Loew said he does not have a list of his top five penalty takers.
“Sometimes the players practise after training, but you can’t train for what will happen on the night,” the German coach said.
“If it happens, I will look at the faces of my players after the final whistle, take into account who is ready and who has missed them in the past, then make a decision,” added Loew.
The Germans expect a battle royale against Mexico’s come-back kings.
The Mexicans came from behind in all three of their group matches, beating both New Zealand and Russia 2-1 after drawing 2-2 with Portugal, when they twice equalised.
“It will be aggressive in a positive sense, it is how they have been playing for years,” said Loew.
“They hunt the ball with all their players and, when they have it, they play it deep quickly.”
Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who has chopped and changed his side so far, will be without suspended captain Andres Guardado.
Loew has promised changes with forward Lars Stindl, who has scored twice so far in Russia, expected to return along with left-back Hector.
With Manuel Neuer missing the Confed Cup after foot surgery, Loew says Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be Germany’s goalkeeper for the rest of the tournament.
The Germans beat Mexico 4-3 when the teams last met in the third-place play-off at the 2005 Confed Cup in Germany.
They make no secret of their confidence and expect to reach Sunday’s final.
“I think, in terms of gut feeling, we’re heading to St Petersburg,” said Loew.
