Recent seasons have seen a string of players found guilty of taking steroids and other banned substances, but every case - barring Frank De Boer at Barcelona - have been found in Italy's Serie A.
Many people have suggested that places such as England are too lax in their approach to drug testing and Festa has added to these concerns by admitting that he has only been tested twice in hs five years with Boro.
"In my five years in England, I have been tested just twice," said the former Internazionale stopper. "Yet in Italy players are tested in every Serie A game.
"A total of four players are selected, two from each side, with urine samples sent to laboratories for analysis. There is no escape.
"I am fully in favour of this. If there are cheats, it is in the game's interest that they are caught.
"Jaap Stam's positive drugs test has caused headlines all over Europe, with commentators pointing accusing fingers at Italian clubs.
"I read that Stam is the tenth Serie A player to test positive for nandrolone in the past 12 months.
"But I do not believe for one moment that we have widespread doping problems in my home country.
"If you look at the most prominent people to fail tests, they are mostly from abroad.
"The three that come to mind are Stam and Edgar Davids, both Dutch, and Fernando Couto, who is Portuguese.
"The other big factor we have to take into account, however, is that Italian football has one of the strictest drug-testing regimes in the world.
"We must be vigilant and keep up to date with the latest testing technology to ensure we stay ahead of those who may be tempted to break the rules."
Lazio owner Sergio Cragnotti has also stated that he thinks the growing number of players testing positive for drugs in Serie A is because of the stringent screening policy in Italy.
"After Couto's case we took precautions for our team," Cragnotti said.
"We have spent lots of money on regular anti-doping tests done independently from CONI (Italian Olympic Committee).
"We did everything possible to avoid any chance of contamination and use only products passed by CONI.
"In two years all the cases barring Barcelona's Frank De Boer came out in Italy.
"Nothing else ever happens in Europe with regard to doping. Maybe it is the type of test.
"The methodology in taking the sample or some other element that needs looking at."
Cragnotti also backed Stam, who he doubted would have taken any illegal substances.
"Jaap Stam played with Manchester United for many years but no positive tests ever emerged in England. Why would a player who earns £3.3 million per season with a four-year contract dip into drug use? His contract is guaranteed. It all makes no sense.
"Until we have absolute proof of his guilt, we will continue to support our player and try to find the true cause of this situation."
