In the wake of Olympic megastar Michael Phelps’s ban for indulging in some 'wacky weed', the iafrica.com sports team looks at other sportsmen who follow or have followed a less-than healthy lifestyle…

Johann Cruyff:

Named three-times European Footballer of the Year (1971, 1973, 1974) and European Player of the Century by the IFFHS in 1999, Dutch legend Johan Cruyff was a key exponent of Holland's 'Total Football'. He was famed for his abilities to turn defenders inside out, and is a living legend in native Holland, but he is just as famous for his penchant for cigarettes. Cruyff was apparently a pack-a-day man during his playing days… until he was forced to undergo a double-heart-bypass in 1991. Unsurprisingly he quit soon after and, like all ex-smokers, is now campaigning against smoking.

John Daly:

Golf is known for its staid traditions and gentleman's outlook, but when John Daly exploded onto the scene the fans lapped up his wild behaviour. Colourful and popular as he is, John Daly could have been so much more than just a working-class hero. But his love of the wild-life has led to him never living up to his incredible potential as a golfer. His battles with booze and his weight have consistently cut short his abilities on the course. His last Major win — one of two — came in 1995 when he triumphed at the British Open, but since then he has won just three tour-sanctioned events...

Bob Burnquist:

World-class sportsmen generally talk out about the dangers of drugs. 'Don’t do drugs' has become synonymous with all sports — from the NFL to Rugby Union. But then, professional skateboarder Bob Burnquist is not your normal athlete. Regarded by many as the world's greatest skateboarder, Burnquist does not speak out against drugs… hell no, he campaigns for its use! Okay, maybe not all drugs, but as far as he is concerned marijuana should be legalised – post-haste. "There is so much we can do with it," claims Burnquist. Apparently you can use it for fuel, medicine and even for food! Ah, yes, of course, you can also smoke it…

Shoaib Akthar:

Ah, yes, no list would be truly complete without Pakistan's controversy magnet, Shoaib Akhtar. The 'Rawalpindi Express' has never been far from the spotlight; in 2004 he was accused of faking injuries to avoid bowling against South Africa, and in 2005 he was eventually sent home from Australia for avoiding a late-night curfew. His attitude problems and ill-discipline did not exactly endear him to his team-mates, nor the fans, and more than one Pakistani skipper has questioned his fitness — including Inzamam-ul-Haq, who himself was never exactly noted for his physical prowess...

Herschelle Gibbs:

The West Indies is known for many things, but possibly none more so than the availability of marijuana. Possibly thinking it was legal in the Caribbean, Proteas wild-child Herschelle Gibbs, along with four teammates and the team physiotherapist was caught lighting up in celebration of their 2001 series victory over the Windies. But while his team-mates seemingly learnt their lesson (and a couple, erm, 'drifted' out of the team), Herschelle didn't seem too bothered by the subsequent punishment, and has found himself in trouble more often than we can remember — most recently being thrown in the overnight cell for drunken driving... But we’re willing to give him another chance, as are the SA selectors, and for all intents and purposes, Gibbs has undergone rehab and is said to be ready for the long haul this time around.

David Boon:

When you look back on a list of the most naturally-gifted athletes to grace the cricket pitch you probably won't consider David Boon. Short, portly and possessing one of the greatest mo’s the game has ever seen, 'Boony' was as well-known for his drinking exploits as he was for his work with the bat — which was pretty damn impressive. He once famously vomited on the Adelaide Oval 1988 before a live television audience (he scored 122 and was named Man of the Match), but his most historic moment came in 1989 when he sank 52 cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London during the Ashes tour…

Jesse Ryder:

He once declared himself "New Zealand cricket", but the pudgy Jesse Ryder's fondness for tequila, and booze in general, has tended to get the better of him in the past. The most famous story occured last year when, just hours after helping the Black Caps seal an ODI series win over England, Ryder was punching windows and abusing Kiwi hospital staff after sinking one too many at a local pub... His career has seemingly not suffered all that much, what with him being a fixture in the Kiwi line-up and signing a new IPL contract, but after already being fingered as a troublemaker by the New Zealand selectors — even before the incident — you would think young Jesse would have know better.

Dwayne Leverock:

One of the finest moments of the Cricket World Cup in 2007 had nothing to do with the big teams at the event, but rather the biggest man — Bermuda’s Dwayne Leverock. The Bermuda policeman was the heaviest player to take the field at the tournament, weighing in at 20 stone, and was certainly not considered the finest athlete in the Caribbean showpiece. So imagine the surprise when he managed to take an incredible, diving one-handed catch against Sri Lanka — followed by an even more inspired celebration! The British media unkindly greeted his performance at the World Cup with headlines such as "Owzfat" "Bermuda pie-angle" and "Lard before wicket". But then, considering how useless the English team was at the tournament, the travelling press needed to do something with their time…

Lawrence Dallaglio:

The former England skipper is regarded as one of the greatest player of his generation, both for his leadership of London Wasps and of England. He boasts a glittering career, which includes a World Cup triumph and a number of English Premiership and European triumphs, but let us not forget that big Lol's public persona was not always so grand. In 1999, then England skipper Dallaglio was exposed by the News of the World tabloid as a former drug dealer! The British tabloid alleged that Dallaglio had been a dealer of hard drugs and even boasted about a drug-infused night of partying during the Lions tour of SA in 1997. Dallaglio was slapped with a £15 000 fine and was forced into giving up the England captaincy. Not the healthiest choice for a world class athlete…

Maradonna:

A favourite of the tabloids, the former Argentina superstar has battled addiction to booze, drugs and pretty much anything else you can get addicted to. Since the 1990's, the World Cup-winner has fought his addictions and between 2002 and 2005 he spent most of his time in Cuban detox clinics. Prone to packing on the pounds, primarily due to his wild lifestyle, Maradonna underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2005, and was later treated for hepatitis and the effects of alcohol abuse in 2007. He later appeared on television to claim he had been clean for over two-and-a-half years, and while the jury is still out on that one, the Argentina football bosses must believe him — having named the flamboyant Maradonna the new coach of their national team!

  • Who did we miss? Leave a comment below!


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