Four Athletes That Have Suffered From Addiction

Four Athletes That Have Suffered From Addiction

Many people in the public eye struggle being in front of the camera. From famous actors to superstar athletes, managing the pressures and fact that all eyes are on them is difficult. While some embrace that, many others don’t and even some of the world’s biggest stars have turned to drugs and alcohol in order to cope.

That’s a slippery slope and many see their careers turned upside down as they try to recover from addiction to get their lives back on track. That sees endorsements lost, bans and sometimes even titles stripped.

Of course, for those that recover, the rise to the top is always great to see. Like a phoenix from the flame. But who are the biggest athletes to have suffered, and did they get back on track?

Michael Phelps

The world’s greatest ever Olympian battled with a marijuana problem and has openly talked about his problem with alcohol and drugs. In 2009 he was caught smoking marijuana and entered a cannabis rehab programme to get clean and continue his career.

Of course, he certainly did that. He competed in two more Olympics following that, picking up a total of nine Gold medals in the process, as well as three silvers taking his total number of Olympic medals to a breathtaking 28.

Diego Maradona

It’s a more tragic tale for one of the world’s greatest ever footballers. Maradona spent much of his life addicted to cocaine in order to cope with the pressures that came with being such a global star.

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He fell into ill health many times due to his relationship with drugs and alcohol and his lifestyle ultimately led to his demise, with the Argentinian passing away in November of 2020.

Andre Agassi

Agassi was a hero to many during his time as a top tennis player and enjoyed many battles on the court with the likes of Pete Sampras, who’s rivalry was among the most iconic in the sport.

He had demons outside of the sport though and failed an amphetamine drug test back in 1997. He claimed he’d had a soda spiked, however would later reveal that he took crystal meth regularly during his career.

John Daly

A true maverick in the world of golf, John Daly was known for his drinking and has struggled with multiple addictions throughout his career that hampered him from winning as much as he perhaps should have.

Daly won a couple of majors but alcohol addiction, gambling and even sex addiction took his attention away from the game. He started drinking when he was eight and has endured a number of health conditions due to addiction over the course of his life.

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