Dispatches: The Truth About Drugs In Football

DrumSteve

Dispatches investigates the use of both recreational and performance-enhancing substances in our national game.

Reporter Antony Barnett examines football's drug-testing regime, raises questions about how the sport deals with its drug cheats and also looks at the use of some bizarre but legal treatments players undergo.

On next monday night at 8pm if anyone is interested on Channel 4.

Hopefully it's decent and they don't just try to entrap a bunch of no-marks from the conference into smoking a few joints. The last one where they exposed how to buy a football club wasn't the greatest.

bohsfan

I saw an ad for this last night and the v/o claimed that top star players have been tested positive for drugs and that their clubs and the FA have been working together to keep it quiet.

If the programme actually puts forward any evidence to back up this claim then it could be very interesting...

I'd say it's fairly common.

There won't be too much in it that will shock people I'd imagine.

Richard Hillman

If they introduced the testing they do in Athletics and Cycling tomorrow without prior knowledge to the players or clubs, football would be decimated. I also think something needs to be done about the abnormal amount of "asthmatics" in football. I used to take my brothers ventolin medicine before playing football and the difference is unreal. Inhalers do a great job as well.

Crazy Horse 6

Widespread i'd say. Does'nt one particular player have the nickname "hoover nose" amongest his friends.

Headshot

We know the drugs don't work, they just make you worse

mark renton

Headshot wrote: »

We know the drugs don't work, they just make you worse

But I know i'll see your face again!!

syngindub

john47832 wrote: »

But I know i'll see your face again!!

you know yer on a loosin streak

tommyhaas

If its anything like their ''How to buy a football club'' docu', it will probably centre around secret footage of a premier league player drinking lemsip

Corholio

Crazy Horse 6 wrote: »

Widespread i'd say. Does'nt one particular player have the nickname "hoover nose" amongest his friends.

I think his first name is Henry.

mark renton

syngindub wrote: »

you know yer on a loosin streak

how so??

lmao - i read this post out of context and thought "gambling"

Bodhisopha

Richard Hillman wrote: »

If they introduced the testing they do in Athletics and Cycling tomorrow without prior knowledge to the players or clubs, football would be decimated. I also think something needs to be done about the abnormal amount of "asthmatics" in football. I used to take my brothers ventolin medicine before playing football and the difference is unreal. Inhalers do a great job as well.

You are really overstating this. A placebo effect perhaps, but if it works for you, what harm.

daithijjj

tommyhaas wrote: »

If its anything like their ''How to buy a football club'' docu', it will probably centre around secret footage of a premier league player drinking lemsip

I commented on that thread when it came out but these programmes are more a propaganda exercise than actual 'fact'. It was the same with bribes at FIFA. Its about shoving a stick into a beehive.

You can bet there were some ramifications 'in house' at the FA after that one on buying clubs. Id imagine it will be more of the same with this one, it will be in the public interest if there only becomes more transparency with the process in future.

daithijjj

Richard Hillman wrote: »

If they introduced the testing they do in Athletics and Cycling tomorrow without prior knowledge to the players or clubs, football would be decimated. I also think something needs to be done about the abnormal amount of "asthmatics" in football. I used to take my brothers ventolin medicine before playing football and the difference is unreal. Inhalers do a great job as well.

Thats like saying if somebody had an anaphylactic shock on the pitch and was given an adrenaline shot to recover it would be an unfair disadvantage to the others who didnt get an adrenaline shot.

Being able to breathe normally is hardly performance enhancing.

Helix

daithijjj wrote: »

Thats like saying if somebody had an anaphylactic shock on the pitch and was given an adrenaline shot to recover it would be an unfair disadvantage to the others who didnt get an adrenaline shot.

Being able to breathe normally is hardly performance enhancing.

hes talking about non athsmatics using it

daithijjj

Helix wrote: »

hes talking about non athsmatics using it

Non Asthmatics taking inhalers would fail a drug test.

Edit. What level is the suggestion that you bring in drug tests?, Amateur underage?. Not really practical in my opinion.

Paully D

Copied from elsewhere:

Newcastle, Liverpool, and Man City players mentioned apparently.

Hundreds of footballers missed Football Association drug tests over three years.

From April 2007 to August 2010 experts cancelled 240 checks because players from clubs including Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle did not turn up.

The findings were uncovered by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme.

A survey of 2,800 footballers – of whom 700 responded – saw 28 per cent admit they have not been tested for two years.

astrofool

daithijjj wrote: »

Non Asthmatics taking inhalers would fail a drug test.

Edit. What level is the suggestion that you bring in drug tests?, Amateur underage?. Not really practical in my opinion.

Athletes will usually claim they are asthmatic (and find a doc to certify them so) when they are not. The proportion of asthmatic athletes is higher than the general population.

Now it could be that they are under scrutiny more, and it gets recognised more correctly, or it could be nefarious.

daithijjj

astrofool wrote: »

Athletes will usually claim they are asthmatic (and find a doc to certify them so) when they are not. The proportion of asthmatic athletes is higher than the general population.

Now it could be that they are under scrutiny more, and it gets recognised more correctly, or it could be nefarious.

Do athletes who do not take inhalers claim to be at a disadvantage?

Richard asserted that if footballers were subjected to the same as athletes football would be decimated, clearly thats not the case, it would just mean more asthmatics.

mike65

I bet Daniel Agger has missed a few tests, oh yes. Nudge nudge wink wink. (Pool fans will know what I'm alluding to)

mark renton

im hoping lucas fukin leiva is on the list

thebison

I presume a Chelsea player will be mentioned. We always seem to at the center of controversy

One thing is for sure, its not Fernando Torres.....

tommyhaas

thebison wrote: »

I presume a Chelsea player will be mentioned. We always seem to at the center of controversy

One thing is for sure, its not Fernando Torres.....

Bosnich and Mutu spring to mind alright

I don't understand why you can get banned for taking a non-performance enhancing drug

wandatowell

I heard an Arsenal player was caught with blow and the F.A./Club kept it quiet

Chucky the tree

tommyhaas wrote: »

Bosnich and Mutu spring to mind alright

I don't understand why you can get banned for taking a non-performance enhancing drug

Purely because it's bad for the sports image and illegal.

tommyhaas

wandatowell wrote: »

I heard an Arsenal player was caught with blow and the F.A./Club kept it quiet

I'd back Song, he looks like a Rastafarian

tommyhaas

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Purely because it's bad for the sports image and illegal.

There's plenty of things that are both illegal and bad for the games image, yet you don't get banned for them. Bringing an air gun into work and shooting the intern, riding brazers and assault all spring to mind

I can understand if there is any uncertainty as to whether or not the drug is performance enhancing, but I think if a player is caught smoking hash it should be dealt with by the Police and club, as oppose to the FA

everdead.ie

Both woodgate and Hutton at various times were supposed to of had bad problems with drugs

Pudsy33

Apparently the player accused of cocaine use is a top premier league player who was involved in a recent multi-pmillion pound deal. Who do people reckon it is?

Blatter

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Apparently the player accused of cocaine use is a top premier league player who was involved in a recent multi-pmillion pound deal. Who do people reckon it is?

Apparently this is the outline of the player.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01374/dreamteam-28092_1374249a.jpg

Ebbs

Blatter wrote: »

Apparently this is the outline of the player.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01374/dreamteam-28092_1374249a.jpg

Nani

Doesnt fit the other attributes about being transfered or such.... *franticly searches for curly haired players*

Edit: Got him

Professional Griefer

Ebbs wrote: »

Nani

Doesnt fit the other attributes about being transfered or such.... *franticly searches for curly haired players*

70+ mill.......

Blatter

Ebbs wrote: »

Nani

Doesnt fit the other attributes about being transfered or such.... *franticly searches for curly haired players*

It's almost a perfect match for Nani only for the recently transferred bit. Nani is someone who looks after himself well so he wouldn't really be a candidate anyway.

Wonder who it is.

Bodhisopha

I think it would be ridiculous to start banning players for testing positive for recreational drugs. I say start, they already do, so i think the current rules are silly.

Insect Overlord

Blatter wrote: »

Apparently this is the outline of the player.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01374/dreamteam-28092_1374249a.jpg

Nasri?

Cill Dara Abu

Blatter wrote: »

Apparently this is the outline of the player.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01374/dreamteam-28092_1374249a.jpg

David Luiz?

Chucky the tree

The "top" star is probably someone who transfered for less then £5m and plays for some mid-table team or worse.

Mars Bar

Blatter wrote: »

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Apparently the player accused of cocaine use is a top premier league player who was involved in a recent multi-pmillion pound deal. Who do people reckon it is?

Apparently this is the outline of the player.

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01374/dreamteam-28092_1374249a.jpg

Suarez?

You know, I don't think it'd be Suarez. He's a nutcase but I don't think it's in him to be that unprofessional. However, if it wasn't for seeing the workrate from kuyt and ji sung park, I would question if Suarez's workrate is humanely possible!

Cill Dara Abu

Or Michael Essien

Blatter

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

David Luiz?

I'll be amazed.

Chucky the tree wrote: »

The "top" star is probably someone who transfered for less then £5m and plays for some mid-table team or worse.

Yeah, that's the feeling I'm getting.

Cill Dara Abu

Blatter wrote: »

I'll be amazed.

Why?

Paully D

Either way, nothing will be done about it and it will be all swept under the carpet. I just hope it wasn't a Sunderland player, although if they're true to their "top star" label then I've nothing to worry about :pac:

Blatter

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

Why?

For some reason I just don't think the player will be as high profile as David Luiz.

More likely to be a Sunderland player!:pac:

Paully D

Blatter wrote: »

For some reason I just don't think the player will be as high profile as David Luiz.

More likely to be a Sunderland player!:pac:

Funnily enough, the shadow looks very similar to Gyan. Although judging by his appearance these days it seems he's addicted to cheeseburgers more than anything else.

Unearthly

Hopefully it's not Torres

An 8 month ban would be a blow to Uniteds title chances:pac:

Wooden Jesus

Paully D wrote: »

Funnily enough, the shadow looks very similar to Gyan. Although judging by his appearance these days it seems he's addicted to cheeseburgers more than anything else.

First player i thought of when i saw that was Gyan, would explain why sunderland were unwilling to sell him then all of a sudden sent him out on loan

Paully D

Unearthly wrote: »

Hopefully it's not Torres

An 8 month ban would be a blow to Uniteds title chances:pac:

Might explain the poor form, as it did with Rooney in a similar situation when he knew his cheating was about to be exposed in the near future.

I'm sure it will be all over Twitter shortly anyway!

Blatter

Paully D wrote: »

Funnily enough, the shadow looks very similar to Gyan. Although judging by his appearance these days it seems he's addicted to cheeseburgers more than anything else.

I was thinking Gyan, but the player was meant to have been sold so I think that rules him out.

Paully D

Blatter wrote: »

I was thinking Gyan, but the player was meant to have been sold so I think that rules him out.

Yep, "sold and buying club not informed" so he's out of the question. Also a "multi-million pound move".

Carroll, Nasri, Torres, are just 3 who've made big money Premier League moves in recent times. Any others?

Chucky the tree

The outline also looks alot like Jordan Henderson. Still don't think it's anyone that high profile.

Paully D

Chucky the tree wrote: »

The outline also looks alot like Jordan Henderson. Still don't think it's anyone that high profile.

I'd be amazed to be honest, although he does look similar to the outline. He was living with his mam and dad and rarely even went out when he was at Sunderland.