All pre-World Cup doping tests negative: FIFA

JOHANNESBURG - Football’s ruling body FIFA confirmed Saturday that all 256 doping tests conducted prior to the 2010 World Cup football came up negative.

“The teams were very cooperative. Everything went without a problem,” FIFA’s top medical official Jiri Dvorak said Saturday.

FIFA tested eight players from each of the 32 World Cup sides during the preparations for the South Africa tournament.

The urine and blood tests will continue during South Africa 2010 with two players from each team being chosen randomly for testing after all 64 matches.

All told, FIFA will undergo 512 doping tests prior to and during the 2010 World Cup.