Tauziat: game fears exposing a drug cheat

Nathalie Tauziat may be in semi-retirement, but her views remain as punchy as her volleys once were. The former Wimbledon finalist, who has never been afraid to voice her opinion, feels that women's tennis is in danger of succumbing to drug cheats.

"Some of the players who are doing very well at the moment do not inspire confidence," Tauziat says. "The women's game is damaged enough as it is by the lack of any competition for the Williams sisters without there being a drugs' scandal as well. At the moment, everyone has doubts about tennis, and that can't be healthy. What is needed now is strong leadership from the Women's Tennis Association [WTA]. They desperately need to impose rigorous tests like the ones undertaken by the International Olympic Committee."

The Frenchwoman adds: "The main problem is that there is a total lack of uniformity when it comes to testing. At the French Tennis Federation, for example, players are tested regularly from the age of 13. Our system is excellent and I feel it is a pity that other nations do not follow suit."

Tauziat is particularly worried about the so-called stealth drugs that can sometimes go undetected by basic tests. "I believe that EPO will be tested for the first time from the end of this year, and that's a positive step. Having said that, if you can control EPO, then logic dictates that you can test the rest, too. Why stop? Let's see whether people are taking nandrolone or steroids. Tennis players get the same list of banned drugs as every other sport; it's just that we don't do as many checks as them."

The 1998 Wimbledon finalist admits that she has no concrete proof that certain players take illegal substances, but says that her 20 years' experience leave her in no doubt that cheats exist. "I would like someone to tell me how a girl can almost double in size in the space of three to four months. I'm not talking about a girl putting on a bit of weight here, but her changing in muscular terms. I've seen it happen, and it worries me."

Tauziat does not blame any player for the situation. Instead, she feels that the responsibility lies with the WTA. "The current set-up is all wrong," she says, "because it is letting people slip through the net. The WTA need to be more draconian, but they have too much to lose. In the world of tennis in general, there is so much money at stake that the powers-that-be are terrified that they might unearth a top-10 drug cheat. That would be the scandal of the year.

"They have caught a few people in the past, but they were either finishing their careers or ranked so low in the world that nobody gave a damn. What I would like to see is compulsory blood tests for every single player on Tour. That way there would be absolutely no doubts or whispers in women's tennis."

The 34-year-old also believes that the sense of distrust creates divisions between the players. "Because there is no proof that some players take drugs and others don't, it is difficult for there to be two clear camps," she says. "That said, there is a growing band of players who are questioning the physiques of some of the other girls, and I fear that that may end up creating long-lasting divisions."

Tauziat's other major concern is the Williams' domination of the game. She says that large numbers of players are growing increasingly disillusioned. Last week, the two losing semi-finalists, Amélie Mauresmo and Justine Henin, added their names to the dissenters. "It's great for the Williams girls that they are making the finals and playing each other all the time," Tauziat says after accusations have been levelled at the sisters that they predetermine the outcome of their matches, "but the other players are tired of it. Their domination has got to be respected, because they have both achieved what they set out to do. For that, I say 'bravo'."

Tauziat insists that none of her comments is down to jealousy. "It's just that most of us are worried about the sport we love."