Zinedine Zidane hit out Wednesday at the author of a book which suggested he and several other members of France's 1998 World Cup winning squad may have been involved in doping practices. Former France team doctor Jean-Pierre Paclet published ‘Implosion' in August, in which he claimed that “blood sample tests on several France players just before the 1998 World Cup revealed anomalies”. Paclet added: “There is room for suspicion, given the clubs where some of the players are employed, notably the Italian league.” In an interview on TV5 Monde Wednesday former Juventus midfielder Zidane played down the claims, suggesting Paclet was simply trying to shock to sell more copies. “It's not nice to hear, and it's unfortunate, but that's life. People like that are just looking to boost their book sales by adding some shocking content. It's not new.” Zidane played for Juventus from 1996-2001. The Italian giant won three Serie A titles and one European Cup in the 1990s, when the club was also embroiled in a drugs affair which led to a trial for Juventus chief executive Antonio Giraudo and team doctor Riccardo Agricola. At a 2004 trial Italian prosecutors charged that, while the drugs in question were legal, they were employed in such a way that they produced the same effects as performance-enhancing substances Zidane admitted at the trial to being given drugs at Juventus but claimed to court officials that he was told they were vitamins. Zidane urges son to focus on school Zidane further insists his son has yet to decide whether to play for France or Spain's under-16 team and that the most important thing is that the 15-year-old Enzo succeeds in his studies. After mounting speculations in the Spanish press that Enzo Zidane would soon represent Spain at junior level, Zidane said neither France nor Spain has yet called up his son to play, and “it's all for the better.” Zidane also said Enzo has inherited his technical skills after spending hours playing football for fun together. “When I look at him, I see myself,” Zidane said. “Today I don't want to speak about (his future). He is just a kid who enjoys playing football. He is passionate and this is a good thing. The most important thing for us is that he'll succeed at school first and then he'll do what he likes.” The head of the Spanish under-16 team reportedly said he plans to call up Enzo, whose mother has Spanish origins. Zidane, the former Juventus and Real Madrid playmaker who won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship with France, decided to stay in Madrid after ending his career following the 2006 World Cup. Enzo, the eldest of four sons, has impressed observers with his skills while playing for Real's junior team. He was named after the former Uruguay and Marseille forward Enzo Francescoli, Zidane's childhood hero.
