Chris Kirkland sent message by former rugby star after crippling painkiller addiction

Chris Kirkland’s crippling addiction to prescription painkiller tramadol shows exactly why the substance should be banned, according to former rugby ace Christian Day.

The former England goalkeeper, 42, revealed last year that he was taking more than six times the recommended dose every day at the height of his addiction. Tramadol is a strong painkiller to treat severe pain and will be prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) from 1 January 2024.

Ex-England rugby union star Danny Cipriani is another high-profile athlete to have raised awareness of the dangers of addiction to the substance.

And as UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Athlete Commission member Day explains, the long-term effects of the drug evidenced by Kirkland’s story, combined with its addictive nature, mean that the move from WADA was inevitable.

“From what I understand, Chris's was much more of that kind of addictive journey, where he was taking it so regularly and was so used to taking it, that it became a real issue to get off it,” said former Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks second-row Day.

“That's quite a different challenge and that really does highlight the risk of this drug and that there are real reasons why it’s going to be prohibited. It's not good for long term health, there are implications around different bodily functions if you use it for extended periods of time.

“Ultimately, the longer you use it and the higher the dosage, the harder it will be to stop using it – that's why it's been outlawed.”

England fly-half Cipriani hit the headlines last month when he revealed that there were times during his rugby career when he was taking tramadol most days in search of relief.

He wrote in his book ‘Who am I?’ of a period in his playing career, saying: