PARIS (AP) — Former tennis great Yannick Noah suspects doping is widespread among Spanish athletes and says the only way to level the playing field is to allow everyone to use performance-enhancing drugs.
The 1983 French Open champion told Le Monde newspaper that French athletes no longer had a chance against their Spanish opponents — whom he compared to cartoon characters who had fallen into a vat of “magic potion.”
In the interview published on Saturday, Noah asked: “How can a nation dominate sport like this from one day to the next?” Only by doping, he suspects.
He added it was well known in sports circles that the only way to win was to stay one step ahead of the anti-doping tests.
