Doctor sacked by Fifa was investigating alleged Russian football doping

• Professor Jiri Dvorak says he was given no explanation after 22 years’ work
• Other senior Fifa officials were ousted while examining Russia-related matters

The former chief medical officer at Fifa was investigating the alleged Russian state doping of footballers when his work was abruptly terminated under the presidency of Gianni Infantino in November last year. Professor Jiri Dvorak, a distinguished doctor and consultant neurologist who worked on Fifa’s medical, anti-doping and injury prevention programmes for 22 years, complained he was given no notice or explanation when Fifa suddenly ended his employment.

The termination of Dvorak’s work, which he combined with chairing the neurology department at the Schulthess Clinic in Zurich, was among many departures of Fifa staff after Infantino’s election in February last year to succeed Sepp Blatter. That ousting of people was described as “somewhat ‘brutal’” in a highly critical report on Fifa’s governance for the Council of Europe this month by Anne Brasseur, a Luxembourg Democratic Party representative.

Continue reading...