A French doctor who lives in Italy admitted yesterday that he gives the banned drug EPO to Serie A footballers.

Jerome Malzac also told the Gazzetta dello Sport that he has been questioned by Turin state prosecutor Raffaele Guariniello, who is investigating doping and the black market for drugs, especially erythropoietin (EPO), in Italy.

Malzac believes in homeopathic medicines in sport and is the author of a pamphlet recommending the use of Erythropoietin 4CH during halftime, the paper said.

Asked if he doped athletes, Malzac said: "Absolutely not. Doping is the absorption of external substances. What I propose is a medicine which activates elements (which are already in the body)."

EPO makes the body produce more red corpuscles in the blood, which means more oxygen can be carried and an athlete has more energy and feels less tired. However, thickening up the blood with more red corpuscles also raises the danger of the blood clotting.

Challenged that his product can cause a blood clot, or thrombosis, Malzac said: "Thrombosis will not happen because it is the organism itself which sets things in motion, if it's required."

Asked about his recommendation that players use EPO 4CH at half-time, he said: "I can confirm that. And I have had footballers among the athletes I have treated . . . from the Serie A."

Malzac refused to name the footballers, saying: "I don't remember them at the moment . . . but I've treated cyclists and athletes from other sports as well.

"(The footballers) are enthusiastic about it. And they keep on calling me."