Russian hackers reveal new cases of doping at Real Madrid and Barcelona

A revelation which could shake the foundations of world football.

The group of hackers “Fancy Bear”, which is linked to the Russian secret service, has accused FIFA and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of having covered up at least 350 positive cases of doping between 2015 and 2016, including four at Real Madrid and five at Barcelona.

The famous group of hackers – which the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) acknowledged had “hacked” their databases in September 2016 – published on their website on Tuesday new information which could jeapordise the reputation of cleanliness of the international sport.

“According to documents from WADA, over 150 players were caught doping in 2015. The following year, this number rose to almost 200 athletes”, reports ‘Fancy Bear’.

The hackers – who rose to fame after revealing that tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams and gymnast Simone Biles, amongst many others, used doping substances with the permission of WADA – have now targeted the world of football, often distanced from any suspicion of doping.

“Football players and officials unanimously affirm that this kind of sport is free of doping. Our team perceived these numerous claims as a challenge and now we will prove they are lying.” read the statement of the hackers.

According to this group, four tests taken by Real Madrid players and five other tests taken in Barcelona between 2015 and 2016 came back positive.

They add, without revealing the names of the players, that two tests taken by the club in the Spanish capital revealed use of cannabis.

Additionally, in the English, French and German leagues there were positive doping tests during these two years, according to ‘Fancy Bear’.

The hackers also published a list of footballers who had used otherwise banned substances, but were given therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) during the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Amongst these names listed were the Argentinians Diego Milito, Carlos Tevez, Juan Sebastián Verón and Samuel Walter; the Germans Christian Träsch, Dennis Aogo and Mario Gómez; the Italians Mauro Camaranesi and Vicenzio Iaquinta and the Dutch Dirk Kuyt.

WADA admitted in 2016 to having been the victim of a cyber attack by ‘Fancy Bear’, who identified with a Russian spy group called Tsar Team (APT28), which managed to illegally gain access to the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS).

Since then the group has published confidential medical information of elite athletes who were granted TUEs to use banned substances authorized by international federations and national anti-doping organizations.