Footie heroes in drug storm
THE Premier League is being gripped by a new drug craze as top players get hooked on smokeless tobacco called snus.
Stars have been spotted chewing the banned pouches, said to give a physical and mental boost, in dugouts during matches.
A “staggering” amount of young pros are said to be hooked on snus, which packs a nicotine hit three times stronger than a standard cigarette.
One player has had to be treated for gum cancer and some top clubs are so worried they have banned their stars from using it.
England and Leicester ace Jamie Vardy has admitted taking it in the past, saying: “Doing everything by the book has never been my style.”
The sale of snus has been illegal in the UK since 1992 but it can still be sourced over the internet and possession or use is not against the law.
The pouches, which are made in Sweden, are not banned as performance enhancers but are on the World Anti-Doping Agency watchlist amid fears players use them to boost their on-pitch prowess.
A manager at one top club said he had been forced to fine footballers £10,000 to discourage them from using the stimulant.
He added: “The number of young players using it is staggering.
“You can see subs using it on the bench.”
Photos after a recent game appeared to show snus debris under the Leicester City dugout.
England star Vardy, 31, said in his autobiography: “When I joined Leicester I started using snus.
“A lot more footballers use them than people realise, and some lads even play with them during matches.”
A Leicester City spokesman said: “Our players comply fully with all anti-doping regulations.”