Wales seek backdoor Euro 2004 slot
CARDIFF, Wales -- Wales asked UEFA to kick Russia out of the Euro 2004 championship on Monday because Yegor Titov failed a drug test after their playoff game in Moscow.
Titov was an unused substitute in that 0-0 first leg draw on November 15 -- but played in the 1-0 win in Cardiff four days later when Russia snatched qualification.
Welsh FA officials issued a statement calling on UEFA to award the Principality a 3-0 first leg victory following Titov's positive test for the banned substance bromantan.
"If UEFA uphold the FAW protest, Wales could take the place of Russia in Group A of the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal," the statement said. The other Group A teams are host Portugal, Spain and Greece.
"We certainly believe that, under the regulations, that the national association should have been called to account when a player uses a banned substance, as Titov did," FAW chief executive David Collins said.
"On that basis we think he was ineligible to play in the second leg in Cardiff."
Last Friday, UEFA banned midfielder Titov for a year and asked world governing body FIFA to extend the ban worldwide.
Titov, who says he may have come into contact with the drug through a cold medicine, has said he will appeal the finding and the ban.
The FAW said it was unaware of Titov's positive test until UEFA announced the ban. Wales manager Mark Hughes said it was unfair on his team to have faced a player who had already tested positive for drugs.
A spokesman for UEFA confirmed they have received an official omplaint from the FAW, which would be submitted to UEFA's ontrol and disciplinary body for consideration at an as yet unscheduled meeting.
Vyacheslav Koloskov, president of the Russian Football nion, said Wales had no chance of overturning the result.
"Absolutely none," Koloskov, who is also a member of the IFA and UEFA executive committees, told Russian media on onday.
"The usual procedure in such cases is that the punishment is anded to the player and the club but there can be no overturning of the (match) results."
Titov has also been fined 6,400 euros ($8,122) while his club Spartak Moscow were fined 12,800 euros ($16,240).
The 27-year-old player denied using illegal drugs and said he was shocked by the news.
"I have never resorted to doping, it's against my personal and sporting principles," the Spartak captain said on the club's website.
