Moscow makes 'exception', issues visa to reporter who revealed doping programme

Moscow bowed to pressure from Berlin on Tuesday and granted a Russia World Cup entry visa to a German reporter who broke the story on its alleged state-sponsored doping programme.

Hajo Seppelt became a pariah in Moscow after his documentaries on cheating among Russian athletes led to the country being banned from last winter's Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

Seppelt was denied a visa to enter Russia last Friday, a decision the German government labelled on Monday as "wrong".

But talks between Berlin and Moscow have since prompted a change of heart from the World Cup hosts and Seppelt will now be allowed to enter Russia after government officials "made an exception to the rule".

"His visit for the World Cup is now possible because we made an exception to the rule," said a Russian embassy spokesman.

"His exclusion was stipulated specifically for the FIFA World Cup." FIFA, football's world ruling body, used the occasion to stress the importance of media freedoms to President Vladimir Putin's government.

"We regret the inconvenience experienced by the journalist," FIFA said in a statement released to AFP.

"As stated on many occasions and in line with FIFA's Human Rights Policy, press freedom is of paramount importance to FIFA." Seppelt, though, may think twice about booking his ticket for the June 14-July 15 showpiece.

Russia's powerful Investigative Committee said it intended to question him on his arrival because he was a key witness in its own investigation into the scandal.

Seppelt's TV reports concluded that Russia's doping programme was being overseen by the state's security service, and that orders for athletes to cheat on a such a scale could only have come from Putin himself -- charges which have been vehemently denied by Russia.

The visa denial created a furore in Berlin.

German Football Federation chief Reinhard Grindel said Tuesday he had spoken with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to take up the case personally with Russia.

"I told him that I hoped he would personally get in touch with the Russian government," Grindel said.

Seppelt's case also threatened to added a sour note to a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Friday focused on raging crises in the Middle East.

- 'Unwanted visitor' -
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"Nevertheless, in case Hajo Seppelt appears in Russia, the Investigative Committee once again will take steps to question him about things he learned while preparing a documentary about supposed wrong-doing by Russian athletes."