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SPORTS Saturday 4 auguSt 2018
Drug tests for gamers as soccer's eWorld Cup jackpot climbs

By ROB HARRIS the O2 Arena after becom- endurance in the tradition-
AP Global Soccer Writer ing the first player to be al versions of soccer.
LONDON (AP) — The play- drug-tested after soccer's It was a learning experi-
ers finished their soccer console offshoot. ence for FIFA anti-dop-
matches and huddled The German, who com- ing officer Jens Kleinfeld,
waiting to discover who petes as "MegaBit," un- whose recent focus was
would have to undergo derstands why the incon- the World Cup in Russia.
doping tests. The random venience is necessary to "I'm not normally the gen-
draw completed, two men ensure people can trust a eration who is following es-
went off to provide urine game still justifying its right ports," Kleinfeld said. "When
samples. to be classified as a sport. they asked me, I was like
They just had to put their "With the Tour de France, 'Really?' But when you see
controllers down first. there was such a huge how big the sport really is
Less than three weeks after scandal and even after 10 and how professional now
the World Cup finished, the years there is still a (view) the players are, there is no
finals of the video gaming like, 'Oh they all do dop- In this photo taken on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, competitors take question we have to do
version are being staged ing,'" Bittner said. "This un- part in the eWorld Cup grand final in London. doping tests."
by FIFA in London with derstanding for the people Associated Press For now the only testing is at
competitors being tested doesn't go out." the grand final, the three-
for performance-enhanc- FIFA has been slow to en- just can't believe there are ulant prescribed to treat day event that concludes
ing substances for the first force integrity measures to people playing better FIFA," ADHD (attention deficit Saturday.
time, just like players on the safeguard its 14-year-old Bittner said. "But you some- hyperactivity disorder) that The 32 finalists were whit-
field in Russia. esports competition, which times may have to prove could help maintain focus tled down through qualify-
"It's great as you think you is run in conjunction with EA to them it's all clean and on the screen for hours ing rounds that started with
are a superstar," Saudi Ara- Sports. you're just better on them." playing on the Xbox or 20 million entrants in the EA-
bian player Mosaad Aldos- The governing body last Adam Barton, a Welsh play- PlayStation. A medical ex- organized competitions,
sary, who competes as "Ms- year was untroubled by er known as "dreamR," said emption certificate would mainly playing at home
dossary," said after being the prospect of players he previously heard "suspi- be required by FIFA to keep rather than organized
tested. "They usually do it cheating on the computer cions" rivals have been tak- using such medication. events. And unlike in regu-
for Cristiano Ronaldo and controllers. But now with ing substances. "If you don't have ADHD lar sports governed by the
every top player. So you the champion on Satur- "It's certainly possible it has and you use it," said Ameri- World Anti-Doping Agency,
think you are one of them." day earning $250,000 — up happened in the past and can player Alexander Be- there is no out-of-competi-
Just like Ronaldo, there is from $26,000 two years ago hopefully they can stamp it tancourt, "it's very easy to tion testing.
no circumventing having to — FIFA is finally making its out and make it a fair com- get an advantage." "That's something they
urinate in front of the tester players sign up to the code petition for everybody," Concerns about brain dop- should also do," said the
to provide the sample — of ethics, which includes Barton said. "There's drugs ing ensure FIFA is checking 19-year-old Bittner, who
however long it takes. sanctions for match-fixing that improve concentra- for the use of stimulants like qualified for the final as
"It felt awkward that some- and doping. tion which is really impor- methamphetamines, rath- the top-ranked player on
one is directly looking at "In the FIFA scene, there tant." er than growth hormones Xbox at the playoffs in
you," Michael Bittner said at are so many haters who Particularly Adderall, a stim- or EPO that would boost Amsterdam.q

Conor is back: UFC says McGregor

will fight Oct. 6 in Vegas

By GREG BEACHAM from Eddie Alvarez in No- fighters last April in Brook-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — vember 2016. The loqua- lyn. Nurmagomedov was
Conor McGregor will re- cious Irishman hasn't com- the intended target of
turn to mixed martial arts peted at all since losing McGregor's wrath after a
on Oct. 6 in Las Vegas for a his lucrative boxing match previous spat between the
title bout against UFC light- against Floyd Mayweath- fighters' camps.
weight champion Khabib er in August 2017, and Nurmagomedov (26-0),
Nurmagomedov. his lightweight title was who wasn't on the bus, won
The UFC dramatically an- stripped and subsequently the vacant lightweight belt
nounced the matchup claimed by Nurmagome- by beating Al Iaquinta in In this July 26, 2018, file photo, mixed martial arts fighters
Friday with a promotional dov in April. Brooklyn two days after Conor McGregor leaves the courthouse following a hearing in
video to close a news con- McGregor and Nurma- McGregor's bus attack, New York.
ference promoting its slate gomedov will meet in the which injured uninvolved Associated Press
of fight cards for the rest of main event of the UFC 229 fighters Michael Chiesa
2018. pay-per-view show at T- and Ray Borg. McGregor healthy, racking up 10 ment of their bout set off
"The fight is done," UFC Mobile Arena, the same eventually was sentenced consecutive victories since wild cheering among the
President Dana White said. spot where Mayweather to perform five days of joining the UFC. fans.
McGregor (21-3) won the stopped McGregor in the community service, avoid- McGregor and Nurma- Nurmagomedov is a for-
featherweight and light- 10th round of their one-sid- ing jail time. gomedov weren't at the midable challenger for
weight championships dur- ed prizefight. Nurmagomedov, the Orpheum Theatre in down- McGregor in a return from
ing his meteoric MMA ca- McGregor also has re- Dagestani-born Russian town Los Angeles along a 23-month break in MMA
reer, but he hasn't fought solved his legal troubles af- champion, has been one with the other headlin- competition, but Mc-
in the UFC since taking the ter throwing a hand truck of the pound-for-pound ing fighters of the autumn Gregor has never backed
155-pound lightweight belt at a bus containing UFC greats of MMA when cards, but the announce- down from a challenge.q