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Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has taken a hit at FIFA after the governing body ordered seven Costa Rica players to undergo drug tests post their stunning victory over Italy on Friday.
"If there were seven Costa Ricans, why weren't there seven Italians?” Maradona told Argentine TV show De Zurda after only two Italian players were asked to take tests compared to Costa Rica’s seven. “This is new. But this is happening because it hurts a lot of people to see Costa Rica get through and that world champions don't get through, because then the sponsors don't pay the cash they promised.”
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By FIFA regulations, two players from each national team are required to take a drug test following their matches, but instead of two, seven Costa Ricans were brought for testing.
He was further quoted by the Guardian, “It's against the rules. Each team sends two to anti-doping. It happened to me, I suffered it, so I'm able to speak about the subject. But seven players, never. Taking seven Costa Ricans to doping shows a lack of respect to the players and to the rules.”
He went on to add, “Costa Rica had an incredible qualification, they had three world champions in the group and they beat them with good football.”
Along with Maradona, Costa Rica head coach Jorge Luis Pinto and the Costa Rican Football Federation are also said to be furious at FIFA for this “alleged” discrimination.
“The question in all of this is: ‘Why does Costa Rica receive these tests?’” Pinto said. “It’s because Costa Rica is running and running and running, and I congratulate my players for that. They can do doping tests to all of us, including me. We would love it. I hope they do it to all of us.”
Bryan Ruiz, who had scored the goal against Italy, was brought in for testing along with team-mates Michael Barrantes, Keylor Navas, Celso Borges, Christian Bolanos, Marco Urena and Diego Calvo.
Costa Rica, who became the first team from Group D to cement their place in the Round of 16 after winning two of their first matches in the tournament, beating Uruguay 3-1 in their opening fixture followed by a 1-0 win over Italy.
