‘Our marriage broke down because of his lying’
Heather Swan, 34, married England and Newcastle United player Michael Chopra, 33, in 2008, but his gambling addiction – which lost him £2m and saw him threatened by loan sharks – tore apart their marriage.
The lawyer tells Closer: “I met Michael when we were both 16. I knew he liked to gamble on match results, playing cards and horse racing, but I didn’t realise how serious it was. Addicts are experts at hiding things, so I really didn’t notice until we were engaged and I was pregnant. He’d be at the bookies when he said he wasn’t and he would sneak around and tell lies.
“The footballing world offers an environment which makes it easy for gambling addictions to develop and worsen. The huge wages, free time and competitive nature are all dangerous factors, especially with the young players who are looking for a buzz off the pitch.
“I only realised how serious it was while I was expecting our son Sebastian, who is now nine – but Michael pleaded with me to go ahead and marry him, assuring me he’d get the help he needed. After we married, Michael went to rehab and I was under the belief he was trying to get better and it would all be OK. But he came out and it got worse – the addiction took hold of him and he was like a sinking ship, drowning in the addiction.
“Michael had changed from the person I first fell in love with – he was lying, and with the lies came the rows. Our marriage broke down – not just because of the financial strain, but because of the lying. I couldn’t trust him and we split less than a year after our marriage. I was left fighting gambling debts Michael had racked up because he had left the country for work. It took about a year and several court hearings to clear them. Sebastian and I now have very little contact with Michael, who lives in India where he is now playing.
“Anyone going through this should stay strong. Nothing will change unless your partner wants to help themselves.”