World Cup 2018 chief executive Alexey Sorokin, in an interview published Wednesday, again dismissed recent doping allegations against football in Russia.
"All I say is that doping in football was never a serious problem," Sorokin told Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
More than 30 Russian players, including the full 2014 World Cup squad, are said to be among the 1,000 suspicious athletes mentioned in a report by doping investigator Richard McLaren.
McLaren last week also suggested that Russia may have had separate doping cover-up schemes in football but Sorokin dismissed this as "doubtful statements from one person."
The ruling body FIFA has said it is investigating but also pointed out that all doping tests around the 2014 World Cup returned negative - a fact Sorokin highlighted as well.
"Our footballers are frequently tested when they compete at the Euros or the World Cup or European Cup matches. These tests don't come to Russia but are taken and analysed abroad. If you doubt the lab in Lausanne then that's no issue for me," Sorokin said.
"Let's wait for the FIFA proceedings. But I don't understand why you are pretending that there is evidence."
