IOC ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE DOPING DILEMMA

ZURICH, Dec 4 (Reuters) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his International
Olympic Committee counterpart Juan Antonio Samaranch will meet next month
in an attempt to resolve their differences on proposed common rules
regarding doping offenders.

Last week international sports leaders meeting in Lausanne moved a step
nearer creating a common united **policy** against **drug** abuse, but
FIFA, along with the international cycling and tennis federations, have
strong reservations about the implications of such measures on their sports.

Blatter said on Friday that while FIFA supported the idea of random
out-of-competition testing, it was concerned about the all embracing
anti-doping **policy** being developed by the IOC.

"We continue to have serious reservations about IOC proposals which I will
discuss with Mr Samaranch when we meet on January 6," said Blatter.

"We are a team sport, a highly professional sport, not an individual sport.
Football players with the EU are considered workers and this presents legal
problems."

Because of the potential legal quagmire, FIFA beleives the automatic
two-year ban for anyone testing positive for a banned substance now being
considered by the IOC, is unenforcable and that there should be some
flexibility built in to any future sanctions.

Blatter and Samaranch's meeting comes before a key world conference on
doping in sport being held in Lausanne in February when the IOC hope a
common anti-doping code can be agreed.

Checked-by: derek rea