Sydney, Mar 4 : Eleven-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater has claimed recreational drug use in his sport is rampant, adding drug-testing is not the answer to this problem as addicts have to be motivated to kick away their bad habits.

Slater opened up about drugs in sport after the Lance Armstrong scandal and claims against some Australian sports, the Herald Sun reports. The champion surfer said he did not believe surfing had a performance-enhancing drug problem because he did not think there''s a drug you can take to make you surf better.

Asked if there was a recreational drug problem, he said there clearly is, and there is no denying that, it''s rampant, it''s full on. Slater said the Association of Surfing Professionals had introduced drug-testing last year, but it had faltered.

However, Slater said he did not believe drug testing would help surfers hooked on recreational substances, adding those are personal, private matters and it''s really hard to dredge dopers publicly and come to any kind of conclusion.

Slater added he knows a lot of drug addicts and you can''t force them to go get help if they don''t want it, adding you just have to show those people love and support and let them know that if they need your help, you''re there for them. (ANI)