[2][8] The French team convinced the U.S. officials that wine was an essential part of their competitors' diets, receiving special permission to circumvent the prohibition in force across the country.

Noël took full advantage of this and is reported as "swigging champagne with his compatriots" in the locker room between rounds at the discus event.

There was then further controversy when Noël finished in fourth place: the officials in charge of the event disallowed a throw that is believed to have been farther than gold medal winner John Anderson's 49.39 m attempt.

[9] Noël went on to compete at the inaugural European Athletics Championships in 1934 in Turin, Italy, finishing seventh in the discus and tenth in the shot put.

[8] Noël returned to European competition at the 1938 Championships in Paris, again finishing seventh in the discus and improving to ninth in the shot put.