BEIJING, August 6, 2008 (AFP) - Alain Bernard, the French 100 metres freestyle swimming world record holder said Wednesday doping procedures at the Olympics were a 'joke', insisting he and France's other gold medal hope, Laure Manaudou, had been subjected to an unfair number of tests since arriving in Beijing.

'We were tested when we arrived. Just by chance, they chose us, Laure and me, only two days after we'd both been tested in Dalian (in southern China where the French swimming team had been training),' Bernard told reporters at a news conference here Wednesday.

'It's a joke that it took an hour and 40 minutes because there were only three of us,' Bernard added.

Bernard's trainer, Denis Auguin, labelled the current set-up 'a mess' and said dope testers had to show greater consideration towards athletes.

'We don't know when we can go or stay. It's a mess. I don't want to go into details but Bernard had a needle inserted three times into the same vein.

'I don't understand why this (the testing) has happened to us twice in two days. If it keeps going like this we are going to lose our tempers.'

Auguin added: 'This isn't a protest against doping controls but just a plea they be better organised and show some respect for the athletes.'