PARIS (AP) — Former French open champion Yannick Noah says his accusations of doping being rife in Spanish sport were intended as a global wake-up call to sports authorities he feels should be doing more to catch drug cheats.
In an interview last week, Noah accused Spanish athletes of widespread doping. He said the only way to level the playing field would be to allow everyone to use the “magic potion,” or banned drugs.
Noah said Friday on the website of newspaper Le Monde that “if I chose this turn of phrase, it was to address the authorities … in order to start a debate.”
Noah’s accusations drew criticism from Spanish athletes, including Rafael Nadal, and from the French Tennis Federation, which distanced itself from Noah.
