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

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.

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.

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.

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.