The Mail on Sunday reported that the former head of the Moscow Laboratory turned whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov had evidence that Russian internationals benefitted from the doping scheme in the country.

Rodchenkov has not been contacted by FIFA despite the evidence possessed by Rodchenkov, the report added.

Samoura, speaking in Moscow prior to Friday's (December 1) World Cup draw at the State Kremlin Palace, insisted they had not tried to speak with Rodchenkov, whose revelations sparked the World Anti-Doping Agency-commissioned McLaren Report, as it was not normal procedure to do so.

"From the information we have, we cannot talk about widespread doping in football in Russia," Samoura told BBC Sport.

The accusations came after reports that the entire Russian team from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil were implicated in the McLaren Report and were being investigated.

A total of 33 footballers were named in the report among the over 1,000 athletes who McLaren alleged had been part of an institutionalised doping scheme.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, the former Sports Minister who is also the head of the Russian Football Union, has again dismissed these claims.

"If we play like that while doped, then how would we do without?" Mutko said.

"It's absolute stupidity."

FIFA launched an investigation when the McLaren Report was published in December 2016 and said they had contacted the Canadian lawyer at "several stages" since.

McLaren has, however, cast doubt on the claim from world football's governing body.

"I don't know if they have been using my information to sort it out, they haven't indicated that to me," he told BBC Sport.

"They have had a contact with me, but that's some time ago and not directly in connection with this."