Germany's anti-doping agency contradicts Bayern doctor

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) - Germany's national anti-doping agency has contradicted Bayern Munich doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt's recent claim that there is no doping in soccer.

NADA tells the Rheinischen Post that doping has benefits for players.

The agency says "it's about speeding up recovery in football, treating injuries faster and more effectively, and reducing convalescence. If prohibited substances and methods are used, then that's also doping."

NADA says there is more to doping than use of anabolic steroids or stimulants, "therefore doping in football cannot be excluded from NADA's point of view."

Mueller-Wohlfahrt had told Der Zeit newspaper that doping would have a detrimental effect on players and could therefore be ruled out.

Mueller-Wohlfahrt said "if a player takes stimulants, then he is exhausted afterwards and will suffer a performance drop in the next game."