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ZURICH -- FIFA President Gianni Infantino hit out on Friday at attempts to undermine the World Cup in Russia, saying he will not judge the country on the investigation which documented a state-sponsored doping program that included soccer.Infantino told The Associated Press it was still very good working with Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who has been accused of personally intervening to cover up a doping case of at least one foreign footballer in the Russian Premier League.The details emerged in a report authored by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, who was attending an ethics conference at FIFA HQ as Infantino conducted a 30-minute interview with the AP.McLarens report cast doubt on Russias suitability to host sporting events, with the International Olympic Committee temporarily withdrawing its backing for competitions in the country.Its not my job to judge this report, Infantino told the AP. As president of football my concern has to be on football matters, has to be on doping in football.If there are elements on doping and football, then FIFAs bodies will deal with that.There appears no risk of Russia losing the 2018 World Cup, with only nine months until the doping-tainted nation hosts the Confederations Cup, which serves as the warmup event.We should see this as a chance rather than trying to be negative, Infantino said. We should see the World Cup in Russia as a chance for FIFA but also for Russia to show itself in a positive light as an organizer and a welcoming country.Lets work in a positive sense in this direction rather than trying to undermine this event.McLaren also found that 11 positive doping cases of Russian footballers were made to disappear.Mutko, as well as being sports minister, leads the countrys soccer federation, and sits on FIFAs ruling council. He was banned by the IOC from attending the Rio de Janeiro Olympics last month based on McLarens findings, but he retains Infantinos backing.We have committees in place. Whatever evidence Prof. McLaren has, he will send it to the ethics committee of FIFA, and they will instruct or not a case, Infantino said. As long as this doesnt happen I will certainly not participate in any speculation or any problems.I am working with the people who are there, who are legitimately elected ... he has been working in terms of the organization of the world, as far as I can judge, in an excellent way so far. So, for me and for us, it is certainly very good to continue working with him.Here are other issues Infantino addressed seven months after being elected FIFA president:---OLYMPIC FOOTBALLInfantino was pleased with the enthusiasm for the womens event in Rio de Janeiro but questioned the future viability and worth of the mens competition.This is something everybody speaks about in the football circles and also in the Olympic circles but nobody dares raise the topic, Infantino said. But at the end nobody is really happy with that event because the international match calendar is already congested. There are no free dates.Clubs are not obliged to release players for the Olympic mens competition, where countries are only allowed three players over the age of 23.Its not really a youth competition but its not really a top competition, said Infantino, who didnt attend the finals in Brazil. The players are not happy, the clubs are not happy, the federations are not happy.So if nobody is happy there must be something wrong. We really need to look at that ... I dont have the solution.BREAKAWAY LEAGUESThe threat of Europes elite clubs breaking away to form a wealthy Super League re-emerged over the last year, leading to England, Spain, Germany, and Italy each securing an extra guaranteed place in the Champions League.Some UEFA members are unhappy that the governing body caved into the powerful clubs.Infantino, who was UEFA general secretary before succeeding Sepp Blatter at FIFA, said nobody has ever put a gun to my head when negotiating with Europes big leagues.Infantino warned that everybody knows the consequences of splitting to form their own competition. Players participating in such a league, outside of a FIFA structure, could face being banned from featuring for their countries in international competitions.TROUBLED STARTInfantino has endured a rocky start to his first seven months in power, going through a FIFA ethics investigation before being cleared of any misconduct relating to use of private flights and improperly accepting gifts.Infantino said he was still working to rebuild trust in FIFA and overhaul the Zurich-based organization.When you have to embrace such significant reforms, its obviously normal you get some blowback and turbulence, Infantino said. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Chaz-Green-Jersey/ . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Hoodie/ . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Jonathan-Cooper-Jersey/ .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Randy-White-Jersey/ . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Demarcus-Lawrence-Jersey/ . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. ST. LOUIS -- Having played in San Diego for the first three seasons of his major league career, Jedd Gyorko has spent this week talking with old teammates when he has a chance.His former teammates have spent most of the last three days in town watching Gyorko round the bases.Gyorko belted three homers on Wednesday in the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 and 3-2 doubleheader sweep of the Padres, giving him six in his last five games against San Diego and making him 13-of-21 against his ex-employer this year.His final chance to add to those spectacular numbers comes Thursday night in the series finale. Another homer would make him the first player to homer in six straight games against the Padres since Chipper Jones in 2003-04.But Gyorko, who has raised his average 27 points in the last three games, has no illusions about his place in the sports planet.Im far from Superman, he said. I had two good games today. Hopefully, I can stay locked in and keep building confidence.More than half of Gyorkos 11 homers this year have come against San Diego pitching, a stat that has to be especially galling to Padres management and fans. After all, they are still paying $2.5 million of his salary, a condition of the Dec. 8 trade that sent Jon Jay to the west coast.San Diego manager Andy Green says it comes down to execution, or the lack of it.Weve consistently missed our spots by a foot and a half, Green said. Weve consistently put the ball right in his wheelhouse. I dont think its a matter of the game plan being wrong. The guys getting pitches in his zone.ddddddddddddAndrew Cashner (4-7, 5.05 ERA) has the task of keeping the ball out of Gyorkos nitro zone, unless he gets traded before the start, as some rumors suggest could occur. Cashner is coming off a 4-1 win on Friday night over San Francisco and Madison Bumgarner, fanning a season-high nine in six innings.St. Louis plans to start Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.15), who can become its first starter to reach double figures in wins. Wainwright has allowed only one run in his last 23 innings, tossing a three-hit shutout Saturday night against Miami.Wainwrights recent return to the form that made him one of baseballs top starters in recent years should pose a threat to the Padres 18-game home run streak, the National Leagues longest since Cincinnati did it in 2010.But San Diego (41-54) hasnt been able to use its long ball proficiency to reverse its poor fortunes in St. Louis, where it is 10-27 since the third version of Busch Stadium opened in 2006.The Cardinals first doubleheader sweep in more than three years turned extra profitable when wild-card contenders in front of and behind them all lost. They gained 1 1/2 games on four teams, drawing within a game of Miami for the second wild-card spot.Their latest success against the Padres included what Gyorko called the first curtain call of his career after his second homer of the nightcap.That was cool, he said. Hopefully, I can get a few more of those. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '