The former tennis player and now French pop icon (singer, TV host, etc) has plenty for everyone Yannick Noah. And it does so from the pages of the authoritative French newspaper Le Monde. Him who, in his words, “as a child I trained on bread and salami and we had nothing to envy of the Spaniards, and neither did my fellow cyclists on the roads of the Tour de France. Now, how do you explain this Iberian domination? Next to them, now, we look like dwarfs. Is there something we did wrong or is there something wrong?”.
The reference is clear and explicit and is to doping. Or rather, the alleged doping that has been casting shadows on Iberian sport for years now. Or more precisely still, on theFuentes affair, which involved athletes of all levels, mainly Spanish but not only: tennis players, cyclists, athletes, football players.
That's why Noah has it for everyone, and he doesn't speak only as a former tennis player, but as a former sportsman. AND targets Spain and its anti-doping system: “The Fuentes affair is the biggest scandal in history and it has literally been covered up. Most of that doctor's clients, especially the more famous ones, were spared. Perhaps sport is too important in Spain and its heroes are more protected than elsewhere. But why roll out the red carpet at Contador cyclist to make him return to the Tour while it is known to all that he has been tested positive? Sure, it was the steak… Let's stop the hypocrisy”.
The reference to Nadal, however, is not explicit, but still unleashed a storm of controversy, including the very resentful reaction of the person concerned. Almost an excusatio non petita: “Noah doesn't deserve to write in a newspaper, he's an idiot to say such a thing, with all the scrutiny we currently suffer”. Dry also the uncle trainer of Manacor's talent, Toni Nadal: “Childish and envious”.
Criticisms of the 1983 Roland Garros winner also come from compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, also a tennis idol and symbol of racial integration: "Noah should prove the things he says".
But to prove him right is the doctor Jean-Pierre de Mondenard, French anti-doping expert: “Suspicion around Spanish sportsmen is very strong, and current anti-doping controls are absolutely ineffective, because they take place during competitions, while they would be more credible carried out in the preparation periods. That happens too rarely." With him also the director of the World Anti-Doping Agency, David Howman: “Only 36 cases of EPO positivity out of 258.267 controls…it's ridiculous”.
So Yannick Noah's shock proposal: “At this point, magic potion for everyone”. That is, liberalization.
