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FIFA's Gianni Infantino wants positivity ahead of 2018 World Cup in Russia

ZURICH -- FIFA president Gianni Infantino has hit out at attempts to "undermine" the 2018 World Cup in Russia, saying he will not judge the country on the investigation which documented a state-sponsored doping program that included football.

Infantino told the Associated Press it is still "very good" working with Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who has been accused of personally intervening to cover up a doping case of at least one foreign footballer in the Russian Premier League.

The details emerged in a report authored by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, who was attending an ethics conference at FIFA HQ as Infantino conducted a 30-minute interview with the AP.