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      in Boxing

      Daniel Dubois becomes first man beat drugs-cheat Jarrell Miller with stunning late stoppage with just SECONDS to go

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      DANIEL DUBOIS’ reinforced heart finally broke Jarrell Miller’s spiteful tongue and iron jaw.The timid 26-year-old heavyweight surrendered in his two previous defeats, in August to Oleksandr Usyk and in 2020 against Joe Joyce, and looked a broken boy.
      Daniel Dubois beat Jarrell Miller by KOCredit: Getty
      It was a back and forth battleCredit: Getty
      Miller was beaten for the first timeCredit: Getty
      But with the eyes of the supercritical boxing world – and ringside Cristiano Ronaldo – he battered the drug cheat who tried to rob Anthony Joshua in 2019.
      And stopped him in the tenth and final round to exorcise so many demons for the loveable lad.
      Dubois said: “I am glad I came through it, I showed my heart, I showed my heart.
      “I am a proud fighter, I want to go forward, this was an important fight for me. I had to dig very deep but I am glad I did it.
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      “I had to prove it to myself., that I am a real fighter who can be a champion and I silenced a lot of doubters tonight. I had to finish strong.
      Big Baby gave me a good fight and we can be friends for life now.
      Miller had spent all week teasing and insulting the shy and dedicated Brit, digging away at his quiet nature and intellect compared to his attention-grabbing stunts and sumo shape.
      Because Miller chose this week to convert to Islam and share the experience on social media, the Saudi crowd backed him, probably unaware of his grubby past as a life-endangering steroid cheat.
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      Dubois made the perfect start with a whipped left hook and a straight right hand slashing through Miller’s guard.
      But the thick-thighed 25stoner has a granite chin too and he shrugged off dozens of shots and waddled forward fearlessly.
      Dynamite Dan had to attack the fleshy bod  but he was warned for one very low accidental blow that lifted up Miller’s skirt.
      Dubois was getting dragged into Miller’s perfect type of brawl in the second, before a stiff jab made the American stagger backwards,.
      But instead of leading with his once-brilliant jab, he got sucked into a head-butting contest and shipped heavy shots before the bell saved him from a dark moment.
      But he got sucked into a shootout at close-range again and neglected his jab and fitness to slug it out with a human breeze block who sucks up punishment like it’s fun.
      Miller started round four barking “come on you bitch” but he was briefly silenced by another firm but rare jab.
      Then the Englishman was whacked and wobbled by an uppercut-hook combo that stung.
      The pair did not stop trading bombsCredit: Getty
      But it was Dubois who outworked his rivalCredit: Getty
      Dubois was letting Miller lean all over him, sucking up all of his energy, it was a worrying watch.
      Thankfully threw more jabs in the fifth than all four previous rounds combined but Miller was showing freakish resistance that was hopefully not boosted by more chemicals.
      Both men looked to be slowing down under all the pressure and pain so we needed Dubois to dig deeper than ever.
      Dubois’ left eye started to look worryingly wounded by the sixth and, the same peeper Joyce battered shut.
      Thankfully in round seven, 17st DDD lured Miller onto an uppercut after fancy footwork and clever defence in the opening minute impressed the crowd.
      Round eight was the best of Dubois’ latest litmus test as he used Miller’s giant 333lbs frame for target practice.
      Almost every jab, right hand and body hook landed but the ref gave him a final warning for leading with his head and he could not afford a deducted point in the final two sessions.
      Read more on The Sun
      A textbook four-punch combination was the perfect start to round nine for Dubois, Miller was taking dozens of blows and returning very little.
      And with only a few seconds remaining, Dubois pummeled Miller for AJ and himself in a win that should fire him back into the big-time mix.
      Dubois celebrating his big winCredit: Reuters More

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      in Boxing

      I’m a new man after taking South American psychedelic drug, says Deontay Wilder ahead of Saudi fight card

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      DEONTAY WILDER is feeling like a new man after taking a South American psychedelic drug during a retreat in Costa Rica.The Bronze Bomber is set to return to the ring after a 14-month lay-off when he takes on Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia this Saturday.
      Deontay Wilder is feeling in tip-top shape ahead of his returnCredit: Ryan Hafey/ Premier Boxing Champions
      The Bronze Bomber’s wife Telli Swift had her say on his psychedelic experienceCredit: Splash
      Wilder, 38, has fought just twice since losing his WBC heavyweight belt to Tyson Fury in February 2020, being defeated again by the Gypsy King before bouncing back with a routine win over Robert Helenius last October.
      The former champ appears to be on a collision course for fellow dethroned heavyweight star Anthony Joshua, should both win on Saturday night.
      And the Bronze Bomber is expectant going into his clash with Parker, having had a life-changing experience with South American psychoactive brew ayahuasca .
      The drug comes from stewing the leaves and stem of a jungle vine that grows in the Amazon rainforest, and it is usually drunk as a tea.
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      Ayahuasca takes 20 to 60 minutes to kick in, and its effects can last up to six hours.
      Typical effects include visual hallucinations, euphoria, paranoia, and vomiting.
      It contains dimethyltryptamine – or DMT – which is deemed a Class A drug in the United Kingdom, making it illegal on these shores.
      Ayahuasca is also banned in the UK, but can be taken legally elsewhere.
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      Actress Megan Fox and boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly have claimed to have taken ayahuasca.
      While NFL star Aaron Rodgers is a big proponent.
      Speaking to The Telegraph ahead of his return to the ring, Wilder gushed over his experience with ayahuasca, claiming that wife Telli Swift has even seen a positive change in him since.
      He said: “Ah, man, ayahuasca has been… Man, it’s been one of the top things in my life that I’m glad that I’ve experienced.
      “One of the best journeys to experience, it’s been a beautiful thing for me, and if you ask my wife, she’ll say that it made me more sensitive.
      “And she’s probably right, but it also made me happier as well. I find myself appreciating even the smallest of the smallest things – and not saying that I didn’t before – but the appreciation level has increased.
      The vine and leaves used to make ayahuascaCredit: Getty
      A shaman boils leaves to make the mind-bending brew ayahuasca in EcuadorCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “Ayahuasca has done some beautiful things for a lot of individuals, not only just including myself, where they brought affirmation to their life or some type of understanding of the path that they are running in their life.
      “I’m looking forward to doing it many, many more times. I’m actually looking to do it after this fight as well.
      “They made the medicine on site, the DMT, and it was just a beautiful experience. I highly recommend everyone to try it out, I really do, it really has helped me in my life.
      “I am one of the happiest people I know in life, and God is good.”
      Ayahuasca is made from the leaves of the Psychotria viridis bush, which provides the DMT.
      The Bronze Bomber is expecting to produce an early stoppage against Parker this weekend, telling TMZ: “It’s a Deontay Wilder fight, guys.
      “When he’s fighting, he always keeps you on the edge of your seat because you don’t know when it’s gonna happen but when it happens, bam, baby! Goodnight!”
      With the help of coach Andy Lee and Fury, however, Parker believes that he can cause an upset.
      He told ESPN: “I feel very confident with the game plan that Andy’s come up with. We’re getting good advice from Tyson.

      “He’s the only man who’s been in the ring with him three times and beaten him twice [with one draw].
      “I have a really good set up in Ireland and in Morecambe Bay. One of [my] fights I used Tyson’s house, which he gave me to use for camp. I have an apartment which I stay in when I’m in Morecambe.”
      Joseph Parker is confident that he can cause an upset on Saturday nightCredit: Getty More

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      Jarrell Miller hijacks Anthony Joshua interview to make X-rated p***y slur against old rival ahead of fights in Saudi

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA somehow held his nerve and avoided a brawl after drug cheat rival Jarrell Miller sneaked up behind him and called him a “p***y”.While the 34-year-old London 2012 legend was explaining his new training partnership with fellow Englishman Ben Davison ahead of Saturday night’s Otto Wallin fight, the despicable Miller tried to drag up their 2019 row with a sick suckerpunch slur.
      Jarrell Miller was supposed to fight Anthony Joshua in June 2019 before failing multiple drug testsCredit: REUTERS
      The pair came dangerously close to one another at their Saudi hotel on MondayCredit: SUNSPORT
      ‘Big Baby’ Miller hurled an X-rated slur at Joshua after seeing himCredit: SUNSPORT
      Joshua maintained his composure following the insultCredit: IFL TV
      Miller and AJ soon began exchanging words face-to-faceCredit: DAZN
      The American – who faces Brit Daniel Dubois this weekend – was scheduled to be AJ’s first US opponent before he failed a handful of tests for numerous performance-enhancing drugs.
      And Joshua’s career was ravaged by late-replacement opponent Andy Ruiz Jr dropping him four times and stopping him in brutal fashion.
      But somehow when confronted by the 25st doper, who came within inches of AJ and growled “I knew I smelled p***y”, ice-cool Joshua ignored his grubby attention-grab to focus on a weekend win inside the ropes.
      He calmly told SunSport: “I have to just let him know he is not even in my sights. He is beneath me.
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      “In reality, I was thinking, ‘Why do I even address that clown? He is beneath me’.
      “I have bigger and better things to focus on. He is a clown.
      “I am fully focused on Otto Wallin, after this week I will tell you everything but right now Wallin is the only focus.”

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      It wasn’t long, however, after he left the interview table that AJ began exchanging words with ‘Big Baby’.
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      Miller said to Joshua: “I smelled p***y from day one.”
      AJ then dismissed the American’s claims that he’s been ducking him, saying: “You don’t know me, bro.
      Look at my record. Who have I ducked?”
      Joshua ended his decade-long partnership with Team GB mastermind Rob McCracken after the second Oleksandr Usyk defeat in 2022, that cost him his hard-earned WBA, IBF and WBO belts.
      A handful of replacements have been in his corner since – from Angel Fernandez to Derrick James – but only Robert Garcia has publicly criticised him repeatedly.
      This Saudi showdown came at seven weeks’ notice and James was tied up with a December 2 fight, so Davison has helped his Hertfordshire neighbour and the heavyweight expects mutual loyalty and no lies.
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      He explained: “I have been around a lot of coaches in my time, a lot of different gyms, which has been good.
      “I was thinking the other day ‘it will be interesting to hear what Ben has to say about me’.
      “Because some of my trainers have said that I am not dedicated and I don’t work hard.
      “But I have been around enough coaches now and if you did a survey you would probably get more proper answers than people that are chatting s***.
      “I think it has been really good with Ben, as it has been with Derrick.
      AJ held court with SunSport’s Wally Downes Jr before Jarrell Miller’s X-rated jibeCredit: Matchroom/Mark Robinson
      “I have a great relationship with Derrick, he messaged me today actually but I have to stay focused, I am not on my phone as much, I am not replying to many people.
      “Afterwards we will catch up and I am sure I will be back in Texas again working with him soon”.
      Davison, 27, rocketed to notoriety when he helped mentor Tyson Fury from the 28-stone abyss in 2015 to Deontay Wilder tormentor in 2018, even living in his family home for 14 months.
      He was in the corner the night Fury survived a 47-stitch gash to beat Wallin on points in 2019 but AJ is not interested in learning anything from his old Gypsy King enemy.
      He added: “Only from a tactics point-of-view. Nothing to do with character.
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      “I have never asked: ‘what was Fury like?’ or  ‘what was his preparation like?’
      “Ben has more respect than to talk about his former fighters like that.” More

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      in Motorsport

      I lived a double life as a rally driver and drug smuggler – I had champagne and coke-fuelled parties before races

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      RANDY LANIER was a motor racing champion who won Rookie of the Year at the 1986 Indy500.But just a year later he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for drug smuggling.
      Randy Lanier lived a double life as a race driver and a drug smugglerCredit: NETFLIX
      He founded Blue Thunder and became IMSA GT champion in 1984Credit: NETFLIX
      Lanier fulfilled his dream of racing the Indy500 in 1986Credit: NETFLIX
      Born in rural Virginia, Lanier dreamed of becoming a race driver from the first time he heard a live broadcast of the Indy500 on the radio.
      The 69-year-old fulfilled his dream in 1986 following a rather unconventional path into the world of motorsport.
      It began when he moved to Florida in the 1960s when his love for cannabis turned into a money-making scheme.
      Lanier and his close associates began to smuggle in the drug from the Bahamas and his operation grew and grew.
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      After overcoming a setback in which Lanier was robbed at gunpoint in his home, the soon-to-be-racer was importing cannabis from South America, and with it he built an impressive fortune.
      Going straight to the suppliers meant Lanier began smuggling hundreds of thousands of pounds of cannabis worth millions of dollars.
      His scheme involved hiding the contraband in hollowed-out ballast tanks of barges, and the more he shipped in, the better his race car became.
      Lanier was already an amateur racer by the time he became a drug kingpin but his career never took off.
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      He blamed that fact on not owning and running his own team, so once he had the money he set up Blue Thunder and worked his way onto the IMSA racing scene.
      As Lanier put it himself: “To really be an up-front runner in racing, it takes not only a team, but a team with quite a bit of funds.”
      His own wife Pam described him as not the most “elegant” driver with Lanier following the Jeremy Clarkson handbook of power first, ask questions later.
      But it was a recipe for success and Lanier became one of the best young drivers on the circuit, thanks in part to the wisdom he no doubt learned from one-time Le Mans star Bill Whittington, his co-driver.
      Together the pair beat Indy500 legend Bobby Rahal to win the IMSA GT Championship in 1984, and with that brought further racing opportunities.
      Lanier then had the chance to walk away from his drugs empire for good when two representatives from Ford, who he had believed to be FBI agents, visited him at a race to offer him the chance to join their factory team.
      But he turned them down for one simple reason – friendship.
      Lanier stated: “My mind was already made up. I wanted to keep Blue Thunder together. That’s what friends do.”
      Lanier threw champagne and coke-fuelled parties before racesCredit: NETFLIX
      His secret life caught up with him and he was sentenced to life in prison in 1987Credit: NETFLIX
      Naturally, a self-funded racing champion with no discernable income raised eyebrows, but that did not prevent Lanier from expanding his operation – on and off the track.
      He began paying off the mob for access to ports with one job costing him £500,000 alone, and another involving one ship being diverted from landing in Louisiana to San Francisco – some 1,500 nautical miles.
      Lanier ploughed most of his money into his race cars but there was plenty of excess which was spent on speedboats as well as champagne and cocaine-fuelled parties before races.
      He then took things up a notch when he set his sights competing at the Indy500 by racing alongside professional daredevils like Rahal, Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt.
      Lanier fulfilled his childhood dream of racing the Indy500 in 1986 where he placed ninth – the highest ranking rookie in the race.
      But authorities were closing in and when his bookkeeper Charles Podesta was arrested, the game was up.
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      Podesta confessed to his part in the smuggling racket and gave details on how the operation was ran by Lanier and his associates.
      In 1987 Lanier was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole but he was released after 27 years thanks to a presidential pardon from Barack Obama.
      He turned to yoga and despite claiming the US prison system was set up for recidivism rather than self-reflection, Lanier became a yoga instructor and a suicide watch volunteer – trained to sit and talk with people who tried to take their life – in prison.
      Following his release in 2014 he established Freedom Grow – a charity designed to help those sent to prison for cannabis-related charges regain their freedom.
      He remains passionate about cannabis, which he views as “just a plant”, and wants people to be given their lives back.
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      Lanier said on the subject: “These people should not be currently incarcerated when there are 38 states, and all these corporations, making millions of dollars selling thousands of pounds of cannabis, legally, every week.
      “These people need to come home.” More

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      in Soccer

      England legend ‘very concerned’ by controversial drug sweeping football with stars seeking help for addiction

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      DAVID JAMES is adamant football’s epidemic of Snus — a smokeless tobacco product —  has a “detrimental” effect on players’ performances.The PFA revealed in March a number of stars receive help for addiction to the oral pouches amid increasing use among professional squads.
      David James is worried by how many players he saw using SnusCredit: Getty
      Michail Antonio said stars use it due to ‘pressures of football and life’Credit: Alamy
      Former England and Liverpool keeper James, 53, said: “Snus has been around forever.
      “I was very concerned about its use when I was playing, seeing the amount of players using it.
      “I’m not a scientist but it has a detrimental effect on performance, similar to me smoking when I was actually capable of doing a lot more.”
      West Ham forward Michail Antonio, 33, has tried Snus twice.
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      The former Nottingham Forest ace said: “Players do it because of the pressures of football and life.
      “It really starts to get to people, so they need that stimulus.
      “Clubs want players to be able to deal with things in any way they can.
      “I haven’t seen any club be against it because they see players doing it and it’s not illegal, it’s not a banned substance.”
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      The PFA has said it can “monitor emerging health concerns for our players, including the growing prevalence of Snus use” due to its “close relationship” with clubs’ medical staff.
      The organisation added it gained “insights” into the taking of Snus after players were surveyed at workshops.
      There is a ‘growing prevalence’ of using Snus amongst footballersCredit: Alamy More

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      in Boxing

      Chris Eubank Jr issues chilling warning to Conor Benn as Eddie Hearn set to finalise grudge match ‘this week’

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      CHRIS EUBANK JR has sent a chilling warning Conor Benn’s way as their historic showdown edges closer to being re-booked.The duo were due to throw down in an iconic family grudge match last October before a pair of failed drug tests for Benn scuppered the mouthwatering showdown.
      Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn were set to throw down last OctoberCredit: REUTERS
      A pair of failed drug tests for Ben scuppered the domestic dust-up, which is now set for February 3Credit: Alamy
      Eubank Jr has sent a chilling warning Benn’s way on XCredit: ALAMY
      Negotiations over the Battle of Britain resumed after Benn made a short-notice and successful return to the ring against Rodolfo Orzoco in September.
      SunSport understands talks are close to bearing fruit, with a spring punch-up on the brink of being finalised.
      And after getting wind of some social media trash talk from Benn – the son of British boxing great Nigel Benn – Eubank Jr issued the welterweight contender a blunt warning.
      He wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “DEAD MAN WALKING.”
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      The jibe from Eubank Jr – the son of former WBO super-middleweight champion Chris Eubank Sr – was in response to Benn vowing to become only the second man to stop Next Gen.
      He wrote: “I can’t wait to punch you in the head @ChrisEubankJr.”
      The mouthwatering domestic dust-up between Eubank Jr and Benn fell by the wayside after the latter tested positive for the banned fertility drug clomiphene – which can elevate testosterone levels in men.
      Benn was cleared of intentionally ingesting the prohibited substance by the National Anti-Doping Panel but both UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control appealed the decision.
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      Conor Benn is technically not prohibited from boxing in the UKCredit: Reuters
      The appeal is still ongoing and the date of when the outcome will be revealed is still unknown.
      Benn is, technically, not prohibited from boxing in the UK – despite ripping up his BBBOFC license shortly after the doping saga began.
      That has prompted promoter Eddie Hearn to press on with plans to re-book his clash with Eubank Jr.
      February 3 is the working date for the fight, which The Daily Mail claims will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      And the undefeated Benn appeared to confirm that is indeed the date for the biggest fight of his career in his ongoing social media spat with Eubank Jr.
      In response to Eubank Jr’s “dead man” tweet, The Destroyer wrote: “I’ll remind you of this when you are being scraped up off the f***ing canvas.
      “Feb 3, I’m ending your career.” More

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      in Soccer

      Controversial drug snus could be banned after use by footy stars such as Jamie Vardy and Man Utd ace

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      A “PREVALENCE” of snus in football could lead to a blanket ban in the Premier League after it emerged it was being used by “dozens” of players – with numbers increasing.A PFA investigation will report by the New Year the use of the product – taken by athletes who believe nicotine boosts performance – is at a “tipping point”.
      Footballers who use snus such as Jamie Vardy may no longer be allowed to use it after a PFA investigation is publishedCredit: Getty
      A PFA investigation will either issue a blanket ban or allow it to be openly acceptedCredit: Alamy
      This investigation will see it either become openly accepted or banned by clubs with no compromise.
      Stars including Leicester striker Jamie Vardy and Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles have been linked to the product and nicotine pouches.
      Players put the products under their top lip or between their toes before games.
      An insider at a top-five club said: “It is an open secret that snus and nicotine pouches are being used by players on and off the pitch, on the bench and in training and many do not care about this investigation. 
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      “I know the PFA sees a tipping point here and they are in a difficult spot.
      “Coaches cannot watch the players all of the time and these are incredibly discreet to use.
      “Is the gaffer supposed to check his players’ mouths and toes when they put their socks on? It’s because of this we could see a blanket ban, rather than the effects of snus.”
      Many clubs made players watch presentations and complete questionnaires over the summer on the issue.
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      Gareth Southgate said last week he was aware ‘a lot of footballers’ used snus and added: “I’m not sure how it can be good for you.”
      But campaigners hit back last night, stating the PFA was “ignoring the science” behind nicotine in sport.
      Richard Crosby, founder of campaign group Considerate Pouchers UK, said: “The PFA is potentially causing more harm than good by ignoring the science and while Mr Southgate has a view, it appears not to be an informed one.
      “He and the PFA need to understand why players are using snus and nicotine pouches, which is largely twofold – to improve athletic and cognitive performance, whilst also avoiding cigarettes.
      “It is lazy to associate nicotine with smoking.
      “This is because there is now plenty of evidence to show it can be an effective sporting supplement, so by not informing players of this valid research, they are ignoring the science and withholding all of the facts.”
      As well as Vardy, Manchester United centre-back Victor Lindelof and Newcastle defender Emil Krafth have all been snapped with snus and tobacco-free nicotine pouches, which sit behind the top lip.
      Nicotine use in football has been long-running.
      Legendary players including Gazza, Zinedine Zidane, Wayne Rooney and David Ginola were all spotted puffing cigarettes.
      There is some evidence to suggest nicotine can increase performance.
      Man Utd star Victor Lindelof has previously been seen using snusCredit: Rex
      A 2021 study by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, monitored college archers before and after using nicotine strips.
      It concluded nicotine had a positive effect on attention, “increased skeletal muscle contraction force” and delayed fatigue.
      The archers’ scores also “significantly increased” after taking nicotine, with the report stating the drug “enhances the performance of archery athletes by increasing cognitive function”.
      But the PFA has said it wants to target any addiction in sport after a survey of 1000 professional players revealed many were struggling with the use of prescription drugs.
      Dele Alli has openly spoken about his addiction to sleeping pills while ex-Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland has spoken of his battle with painkillers.
      The 12-month PFA study on the use of snus – which is being led by Loughborough University – will be used to advise clubs on its prevalence in their teams and give recommendations for support offered to players, including counselling.
      Mr Crosby said: “It is really important the PFA look at this subject with an open mind and make a proper attempt at discussing this with experts in the field.
      “Their own specialists will be aware of the research into nicotine and performance.
      “Let’s also not forget snus and pouches are vastly safer than smoking, which has been another way footballers have used to get nicotine in the past.”
      It is legal to buy snus – which contains tobacco – in the UK but it is illegal to sell it, meaning footballers buy online. 
      Openly available nicotine pouches fall under general consumer product safety regulations.
      This is currently under review by government. More

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      Tramadol has spread like a disease in football – will moves to ban the highly addictive drug work?

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      BEHIND Tramadol, that comfy sort of drug that eases pain and helps provide a good night’s sleep, lies a nasty little secret.It is addictive and may lead directly to a drastically spoiled life.
      Former Bury star Ryan Cresswell took legal drugs like Tramadol to ease pain and is now urging players facing similar problems to seek helpCredit: PA
      Painkiller Tramadol is a growing issue in football and rugbyCredit: AFP
      It has spread like a pox in football and rugby, sports in which pain is as common as a kick on the shin or an awkward fall.
      Paracetamol is a safer alternative but only dulls pain and is much less effective than Tramadol, which is an opioid and has many after-effects.
      Moves to ban it will be taken in the new year after the World Anti-Doping Agency ruled that from January 1, any sportsman or sportswoman faces a lengthy suspension if caught with the drug in their system.
      This might work but, then, possibly not.
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      It will be important that medical staff at clubs will be alerted to, first, the dangers of the drug and, second, the level of punishment facing takers.
      Difficulties in policing for addiction are clear and the benefits in aiding relaxation and sleep have proved attractive enough to tempt injured footballers beyond the medical profession.
      Immediate effects may include vomiting, vertigo, constipation and drowsiness but it is not passing effects that are the problem, although a sleepy centre-back is the last thing a team needs.
      A friend (not a footballer) who was prescribed Tramadol told me that after one dose he dreamed he was playing alongside Harry Kane and woke up shouting “pass it here, Harry”. Perhaps for a moment he thought he was a South Korean.
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      Another story from a different friend. He had to hand off his wife in bed as she flailed at him, shouting angrily.
      He cowered on the edge of his bed for the rest of the night. But the serious problems arise with addiction.
      Once footballers find it impossible to resist taking the pills, then psychiatric symptoms occur.
      A number of players and retired players are now subject to hallucinations, panic attacks, paranoia and extreme anxiety.
      And acute withdrawal symptoms take up to seven days to disperse.
      Drugs in sport has a long history and the more sophisticated medicine and chemistry becomes, the harder such cheating is to stop, let alone control.
      In outward appearance, football has avoided the worst of the epidemic but Tramadol is a little different in that its use, often combined with paracetamol, to alleviate pain and even aid sleep is beneficial so that the Wada ban may not be wholly welcome.
      If you have developed a reliance or an addiction, stopping is a process where you’ll need help.Ryan Cresswell
      However, a doctor’s prescription will no longer be permissible, which for a lot of players will be bad news indeed.
      Ryan Cresswell, who made 250-plus appearances for clubs including Bury and Northampton, suffered with painkiller addiction throughout his career.
      He had a knee op at 17 but the cartilage went again nine years later and he took legal drugs, including Tramadol, to manage the pain.
      “It’s not normal to be taking eight or nine tablets a day and I realised I needed help,” he said.
      “My advice to players is to speak to someone. If you have developed a reliance or an addiction,  stopping is a process where you’ll need help.”
      The PFA have become involved. Dr Michael Bennett, director of player wellbeing,  urged players to use the PFA’s services if they think they may need support.
      “We know there are players in real difficulty with Tramadol usage,” he said, adding that there have been high-profile cases where addiction has contributed to huge problems in the lives of players. More