Doping is present even in those sports where, at first glance, its use seems altogether absurd. A major scandal over the use of illicit drugs broke out in petanque.

One of the most famous players in the balls, the Dutchman Edward Winke made an unexpected statement. He accused the representatives of the national team of Belgium in violation of anti-doping rules.

“I know a lot of Belgian cocaine athletes. They go to the toilet, and on return they do not make a single inaccurate throw. It made them feel great on the court, ”Winke told Vice Sports in an interview.

His colleague in the Netherlands national team Kes Kogier added that he also faced a similar situation. He told about the incident that happened to him during one of the matches of the international level, in which his team also met with Belgium.

“We were far ahead of them in the course of the meeting, because we played flawlessly. Then they took a ten-minute break and retired to the lavatory. Returned with huge eyes. Then their business became much better, ”said the Dutchman.

  • Belgian pétanque players accused of using illegal drugs

In addition, he explained that the use of narcotic substances is common not only at the professional, but also at the amateur level.

“In tournaments in Belgium and France, marijuana is also used to improve results. Speaking there, I often smell it in large open pétanque areas. Usually it is used by amateurs, not top-level athletes, ”added Kogier.

In this case, the Dutch did not name the names of the offenders.

Titled Belgian players deny their involvement in the doping scandal. So, one of the leaders of the national team, Stephen Cowes, agreed that not all athletes lead a healthy lifestyle, however, according to him, the accusations in the widespread use of illicit drugs are baseless.

“We intersected with Wink and Kogye. Everyone who plays pétanque at a professional level knows each other. They are good athletes and guys. Yes, some may have a good beer during the competition. But they talk about it as if every Belgian uses narcotic substances. And this is not true, ”Kaus’s words to The Guardian.

The words of the players of the Netherlands national team were refuted by the representative of the International Federation of Petanque and Provencal Games (FIPJP) Reinold Borre.

“We do not know anything about this. Our athletes and players taking part in the European and World Championships were regularly checked, and each time the test results were negative. If you blame someone, call specific names. Otherwise, you had better keep silent, ”he said.

However, Borre was forced to admit that doping was gradually becoming a petanque scourge. The main reason for its spread is that the FIPJP is not recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In this regard, the budget teams are extremely poor and they do not have the ability to effectively monitor compliance with anti-doping rules.

“All respect goes to Olympic sports. Look at figure skating or archery. They are engaged in a much smaller number of people than petanque, but they are considered more prestigious. So, they receive money that can solve such problems, ”Borre added.

Kaus adheres to a similar position. According to him, many people often have the wrong idea about playing bowls as a hobby for older people in their spare time.

“But after many years of traveling in Belgium and France, a completely different picture begins to open up from one tournament to another. We perform at a very high level. And when they talk about the sport of higher achievements, they mean dope. This is true, it is also present in our world, ”concluded the Dutchman.

The history of petanque is rooted in antiquity. It gains special popularity in the Middle Ages, and then in our days. The goal of the game is to throw the balls closer to the center of the circle than the opponent. The opposing teams may consist of one, two or three people. Because of the similarity of the rules, this sport is often called the summer version of curling.

The FIPJP, which combines several bowling disciplines, was formed in 1957 at the Belgian Spa. In 2015, petanque was nominated as a candidate for inclusion in the program of the Olympic Games of 2024, which will be held in Paris.