Dele Alli discussed his addiction to sleeping pills during his interview with Gary Neville, revealing he has been to a rehabilitation clinic in the US and insisting the problem is common in football.
Telegraph Sport reported on the trend of taking prescription sleeping pills recreationally in 2020 when it emerged that brands such as Zopiclone or Stilnox were becoming popular in the football party scene.
“It’s something that is going around more than people realise in football. Maybe me speaking out can help people,” said Dele in his Overlap interview.
How would they get hold of them?
Initial exposure to the pills comes from the players’ clubs themselves, where there is a culture of taking them the night before a match or immediately after a game. “It started with a doctor giving it to me to sleep, then it turns into more than that,” said Dele. “At the start it was one to sleep and for most people that is fine but for me it was fixing something else.” The pills can be sourced online with minimum checks.
Why would footballers use them?
Using these so-called “Z drugs” as a recreational stimulant when mixed with alcohol is a phenomenon that has been noticed within football only over the past three years. Users are regularly tested for established recreational drugs but can use this concoction to get a euphoric “buzz”. Sleeping pills are not on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of banned substances.
What are the risks?
Prescription sleeping tablets are intended for short-term use. One of the main risk factors for addiction in football is that players are often using them routinely over the course of years.
“With longer-term use, you increase your risk of developing a tolerance,” the Sleep Foundation says. “When this happens, some people end up increasing their dosage or abusing the sleeping pill, which results in more problematic side effects.” Mixing pills with alcohol in extreme cases can be fatal.
What isthe PFA doing about it?
The footballers’ union has expressed concern about the use of sleeping pills. Ryan Cresswell, the former Northampton and Bury player, has now gone public with his struggles which brought the issue to light. Dr Michael Bennett has previously insisted help is available to players who are struggling with the problem.
