MUNICH, June 8  - FIFA president Sepp Blatter says world soccer's governing body has finally moved into full compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) code.

In front of an applauding Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, Blatter expressed his delight on Thursday after the 56th FIFA Congress voted 199-2 in support of the relevant changes to its own statutes.

FIFA was the only major governing body in sport not to have accepted the code and had been under pressure after a long-running dialogue with the agency.

"I am very happy to say we are in compliance with the WADA code now," said Blatter. "It is nice to see Dr Rogge's applause too."

The FIFA Congress supported changes to its statutes that, according to vice-president David Will, retained the ruling body's right to continue to enjoy the principle of individual case management.

He said lawyers from FIFA and WADA had been working since April on the fine legal points of an agreed wording that could be accepted by the two organisations.

The FIFA statutes contain, however, a clause that permits WADA a right of appeal on any case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Will said the accord, as enshrined in the FIFA statutes, would mean in any individual case his organisation could decide on its own sanctions.

"If it is not for sporting performance," he said, referring to a theoretical doping case brought against a soccer player who tests positive, "then the sanction can be reduced to just a caution if it is a first offence."

HALVE SANCTIONS

He added FIFA could also halve sanctions in other cases if a player can prove "no significant fault or negligence", meaning a two-year ban could be cut to one year for a first offender.

Will said life bans could be cut to eight years, for example, and if a player could prove no fault of his own it was possible he could escape sanction.

"WADA has confirmed to us in writing these changes in our statutes are acceptable," said Will, who added FIFA's executive committee had approved the changes at their meeting on Monday.

Addressing the Congress, Rogge said he was dismayed by a lack of action from governments that had promised to support the code.

"I would like to thank FIFA for having finally approved the doping regulations, allowing the whole sports movement to now comply with the WADA doping code," said Rogge.

"I must, however, in this respect, regret that governments do not respect their promises to the code. In October, more than 160 governments promised to adopt it by February 10, to coincide with the Turin Olympics.

"But today less than 20 countries have adopted the code. This is undermining the credibility of WADA. I must, therefore, urge governments and ask them respectfully to accelerate their moves."