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Former Bundesliga coach says doping was rampant

Former Bundesliga coach Peter Nuerurer admitted on Wednesday he saw players take a banned stimulant in the 1990s and claims the practice was not unsual in German soccer at that time.

The 52-year-old, who parted company with Hanover last August, said he saw players taking banned stimulant Captagon while he was coaching Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga's second division in the 1989/1990 season.

And in an interview with magazine Sport-Bild, the coach said stimulant abuse used to be wide spread in both tiers of the Bundesliga.

"This was quite usual in football. It was widely known that players were using substances. Up to 50 percent of players have consumed this drug and not only in the second league," Nuerurer told Sport-Bild, although he was not prepared to give names.

Neururer said it was easy to know when players had taken Captagon.

"The eyes look different. The player doesn't get tired and is inclined to over-react," he said.

The German Football Association (DFB) were quick to react to Neururer's revelations and have asked for more details.

"We have written a letter to Mr Neururer and have asked him politely to produce names and facts," said DFB press officer Harald Stenger on Wednesday afternoon.

But current Schalke manager Andreas Mueller, who played for the Gelsenkirchen-based club under Nuerurer in the 1989/1990 season, accused his former manager of "dirty tricks."

"If Neururer knows something, he should name names. It is so important that we deal in facts," Mueller said.

"As for me, I can totally say I have never seen such a thing, but I can not say what has happened to others," he said.

Doping tests have been carried out in the Bundesliga since 1988 and after every game two players are chosen at random to provide a urine sample.

Since 1995, 15 players from the Bundesliga have been accused of doping offenses.
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