World Cup Players' Food Will Have Random Tests Done To Prevent Poisoning

It is a known fact that people who hold high positions of power often have food tasters who sample parts of their meals before they even take their first bite (via The Daily Mail). Though this practice might sound extreme to the everyday person, it is to ensure that the food isn't poisoned, which was a common occurrence in historical times.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was reported to be accompanied by a personal taster, according to People. The U.S. president may not employ a person whose sole job it is to taste food, but there are people who monitor the food the president eats when away from the White House, per the Washingtonian. The practice of hiring food tasters for figures of authority is thought to date back to Ancient Rome, when emperors had food tasters to make sure they did not get sick from their meals (via Ancient Origins). According to certain ancient sources, the Roman Emperor Claudius was murdered when his food taster, Halotus, served him poisoned mushrooms. Although this is an extreme instance, this proves the importance of conducting regular safety tests on the food eaten by prominent people, which will be done at this year's World Cup.

Though this year's World Cup participants will not have physical food tasters, their food will still undergo regular health and quality inspections. Former Three Lions personal chef Tim De'ath told the Mirror that FIFA will randomly take samples of food throughout the tournament. This will help protect athletes from both intentional tampering and accidental food poisoning. If any athletes become sick, these samples can be tested to find the source of the issue. In the past, contaminated and faulty foods have affected professional athletes, as seen in the case of The 1995 Rugby World Cup Final. In the days before that match, many of the New Zealand players experienced food poisoning symptoms, which led to rumors of potential sabotage that have never been proven (via OTB Sports). In order to keep players well for the duration of the competition in Qatar this year, food testing will not be taken lightly.

In addition, the food eaten by the English World Cup team is protected by further security measures. This includes the vendors being pre-approved and the kitchen being supervised to check for sanitation or other issues to reduce the chances of a player falling ill.