Germany urges FIFA to ensure doping expert gets Russia visa
BERLIN — German officials called on the global soccer federation FIFA to intervene Saturday after a journalist who exposed systematic doping in Russian athletics was denied entry to Russia to report on the upcoming World Cup.
Dagmar Freitag, who chairs the German Parliament’s sports committee, said the cancellation of Hajo Seppelt’s visa was “not just completely unjustified, but pretty scandalous.”
Freitag told German news agency dpa she was “anxious to see how (FIFA chief Gianni) Infantino reacts.”
Reinhard Grindel, the head of the German soccer federation, also noted FIFA’s pledge to uphold press freedom. He told dpa he had “full confidence FIFA will use its influence so Mr. Seppelt can report unhindered from Russia.”