Marie-George Buffet and France’s 1998 World Cup squad
Monday
Former French sports minister Marie-George Buffet admitted that surprise anti-doping tests involving France’s national team were suspended before the 1998 World Cup. She said the government wanted to avoid disrupting preparations for the tournament hosted and won by France.
The admission appeared in a documentary and conflicts with Buffet’s sworn testimony to a French Senate commission in 2013. The revelation raises fresh questions about government interference, testing independence and the handling of France’s preparations before their historic triumph.