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Tramadol will become a banned substance on January 1, 2024, and many players are said to have a dependency on the drug.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is set to make Tramadol a banned substance from the start of next year, and former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland believes it will lead to many players failing anti-doping tests as its use is more widespread than originally envisaged.
Tramadol is a prescription pain medication classified as an opioid. According to Health Direct, it is used to provide short-term relief for moderate to severe pain. It is not used to treat long-term pain problems and it can lead to addiction and dependency problems.
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23:00 - 20.10.2023
World Cup winner to serve two-year sentence after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs
A former teammate of Lionel Messi has been banned for two years after testing positive for a performance enhancing drug while playing for Sevilla in 2022
PFA warns players about Tramadol
With the ban on Tramadol imminent, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has sent a warning to all footballers under their umbrella about the dangers of the drug.
“The concern we have is that there is an explicit acknowledgement that it is an addictive substance,” Ben Wright, a PFA chief, said, per the Athletic.
“It’s habit-forming, it’s an opiate and it’s often referred to as being in the same family as heroin. It can sound like an extreme comparison, but it is fairly well accepted.”
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Ex-Liverpool star believes Tramadol will earn players’ bans
It is believed that many players are currently using drugs, many doing so legally. Players are believed to have a dependency on or have formed a habit around the drug; hence, WADA pushed the date for the start of the ban to enable players to wean themselves off it, but Kirkland, who played 45 games for Liverpool across multiple seasons, believes this will not change much and a player will eventually be caught.
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“Somebody is going to get caught,” Kirkland assured. “I’m glad this ban is happening because it’s a dangerous, dangerous drug. But you’re not going to eradicate it and somebody will fail a test; it’s inevitable. It’s going to be extremely tough for a lot of players because there will be many who rely on it.”
Pogba’s A and B samples both showed signs of metabolites of a banned substance, dehydroepiandrosterone, a banned substance that naturally boosts testosterone production, and he has been suspended indefinitely by Juventus since early September.
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