Tuesday, April 25 2006 09:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lausanne (Switzerland): Sport's top arbitrators said Monday (Apr 24, 2006) that FIFA had not fully complied with the world anti-doping code and there were no legal grounds to prevent football's governing body from doing so.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said in a statement that the primary sanction invoked by the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) code, a two-year suspension for a first doping offence, did conform with Swiss law.

WADA chief Dick Pound had sought the court's opinion on the dispute with Zurich-based FIFA over anti-doping sanctions last November, after warning of a 'potentially critical' situation ahead of the World Cup finals in Germany this summer.

Changes made by world football's governing body in September had failed to bring its rules fully into line with the world anti-doping code, according to WADA. FIFA had also approached CAS with its own evidence.

While recognising some legal issues, the CAS panel on Monday appeared to side largely with WADA's arguments in its 'advisory opinion.'

The panel "indicates that the FIFA code is not in full compliance with the WADC (world anti doping code) and that the deviations are not required by mandatory provisions of Swiss law," the statement said.

A major bone of contention is the application of a two-year ban for athletes, including footballers, who are caught doping the first time under WADA rules that are being applied in most sports.