Russia v Croatia, 19:00 BST, ITV.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Smolov should've hit it. Bottle job.

Erokhin heads it over.

[Mac76]

Spinach coming off

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I know all about that, but these players are tested regularly at these tournaments. Your just speculating.

Look do you want to be the low-level drug tester that whistleblows on the Russia team considering the tactics that Putin uses to deal with dissidents? Nerve agents or brazen assassinations yards outside the Kremlin?


It's not unreasonable speculation considering they've fucking got a rich history of this. They've earned zero benefit of the doubt and the onus is on them to prove themselves clean.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Modric scuffer!

[Master Splinter]

Croatia lacking little bit sharpness in the box.

[Goonermerree]

So was Lance Armstrong tbf.

I'm not saying doping in sport has been eliminated, but it is more closely monitored since Russia's expulsion fro the Olympics etc. Especially since Armstrong.

[Master Splinter]

Mandzukic clears one.

[The Emirates Gallactico]

I'm not saying doping in sport has been eliminated, but it is more closely monitored since Russia's expulsion fro the Olympics etc. Especially since Armstrong.

If this was a tournament on foreign soil I'm be far more accepting but considering it's on Russian soil there are plenty of ways the Russians can circumvent the testers. See above methods outlined that they used in Sochi 2014.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Vrsaljko.

Dzyuba off, Gazinskiy on.

[Goonermerree]

Look do you want to be the low-level drug tester that whistleblows on the Russia team considering the tactics that Putin uses to deal with dissidents? Nerve agents or brazen assassinations yards outside the Kremlin?


It's not unreasonable speculation considering they've fucking got a rich history of this. They've earned zero benefit of the doubt and the onus is on them to prove themselves clean.

One would hope that it's not low- level drugs testing in a WC. And I wouldn't surprise me to find out that they were doping, but nothing suggests that right now. Hell we're in the semis