“I wish that any average man will be a professional athlete one day, earn a lot of money and be under pressure from morning to night. It's hard to live up to date. No one can understand it until they have lived it, played and been applauded by thousands of people. When you have to eat well all your life, train, do everything you are told, be at 800% from morning to night, seven days a week, at some point you have to go out, have fun, relax the pressure. Some walk, others get high. The same thing when you are in the stands and you don't play: you find that adrenaline with cocaine.”
The phrase was spoken by a French rugbier whose identity was kept secret within the framework of an extensive report published by the renowned newspaper L'Equipe in which several players from the Top 14, the French championship par excellence, gave testimony. According to the protagonists themselves, cocaine has entered the world of icing decades ago and the authorities that govern the sport seem to be unable to stop it.
The last public case was that of James Maloney, a former Australian rugby figure who tested positive during an anti-doping test at the French club Lezignan after a match against Carcassone at the Elite One Championship in late February. “We all know that cocaine is a scourge throughout society. No one is out of reach. Unfortunately, we cannot be behind all the players to watch what they do when they are not in the club,” Lezignan President Alain Fabre told AFP at the time.
As published by L'Equipe, these are not isolated cases, but that “cocaine has become commonplace”, as another rugbier who chose to hide his identity to avoid possible sanctions acknowledged. “When I started, some people smoked their little cannabis cigarette. That was replaced by cocaine,” he added. At the same time, another athlete interviewed opened up: “I had some coke, so what? I have nothing to hide. It's not exceptional at all. Everyone consumes it in the middle. The currently active Top 14 players are taking”.
The rugbiers who testified chose to do so anonymously to avoid problems, although they all agreed that in the environment this is not a secret. It is worth noting that the French Rugby Federation (FFR) carries out anti-doping checks after matches, but not during the week in practice. This space between commitments allows those who wish to consume such illegal substances.
“Cocaine only stays in the urine for up to 48 hours. The players take it at the beginning of the week,” Christian Bagate, in charge of the fight against doping in the FFR, explained with ease. “There are no longer any traces of drugs on match days. Nor have we had any cases of positive control for cocaine in competition, although we know very well that players take it. It would even be more and more likely.”
But this happens not only at the professional level, but also in the amateur setting. The French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) received seven reports of evidence related to cocaine, some of which were directly discarded and two of them belonged to the amateur environment. “In some corners of France, after a game, it's the cocaine party,” confessed another player who is part of Pro D2, the second division.
An AFLD controller said that they used to do urine tests before the start of the matches, but they had to change that program because there were players who used during breaks. That is why they now carry out the checks also at halftime. “Those who consume it are not crazy, they are careful when they take it. They are waiting for the game to end,” explained Christian Bagate.
It is important to clarify that the use of this type of narcotic drugs is illegal in France and is punishable by a fixed fine of 200 euros, which may also include imprisonment for one year. In turn, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has established different punishments if cocaine use is detected during a competition phase, which can be two years, or in the off-season, which is reduced to three months.
In addition, the illegal market for this type of drug has grown in France in recent times and, as described in the report, the Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), cocaine is currently the most consumed among young people aged 26 to 34, so it is not a problem that only involves rugby.
* La Sedronar provides guidance and containment through line 141, anonymous and free, and via the email consultas@sedronar.gov.ar. And it provides download material to learn about the problem of consumption and to know how to take care of our young people during quarantine, at this link.
* If you are experiencing a problematic consumption situation and need to participate in the Narcotics Anonymous meetings, open to the public and available 24 hours a day, you must enter this link. The toll-free information number is 0800-333-4720 and from WhatsApp at +54 911 5047-1626. For more information about other virtual meetings in Argentina, please visit the website: www.na.org.ar.
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