One in three footballers deliberately set out to hurt an opponent during their playing days, according to a survey by The Athletic which also revealed shocking new evidence about players doping and the dangerous number of times they were made to play on despite suffering head injuries.
The Athletic will provide further insight from the survey during the week, including:
Retired players’ financial security
Health concerns for the long-term
Regrets regarding career-extending injections
More than 100 former players took part in the survey, making it one of the biggest of its type there has ever been, with their responses highlighting the sport’s issues with social media and online hate.
More than half of those surveyed said they find it more difficult to be a professional footballer today, despite the immense wealth in the sport. 62 percent cited social media platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, to explain their reasons.
This anonymous survey was done to allow former players to give honest answers without fear of being used against them. They included former players. Premier League champions and internationals, with 11 per cent of those taking part estimating they would be valued from £40million to £80million or even higher in today’s transfer market.
Three of the participants admitted to having done some doping during their careers. Two of the participants said that it was accidental and that it wasn’t an attempt to cheat. However, the third admitted to knowing that he had taken banned substances.
There were 35 questions total. These ranged from black boots worn by players to analysis of the two stars who have dominated the sport over the past two decades.
