Is smoking to blame for England's shameful World Cup defeat?
by Laura NinehamAn unhealthy penchant for smoking could be the reason behind England's World Cup defeat earlier this year, claims The Daily Mail.
Photographs re-published on the news website show Wayne Rooney, Aaron Lennon, Ashely Cole and Wayne Bridge with cigarettes in hand.
Rooney was caught smoking as he relaxed in the pool during a holiday in Las Vegas. He was also seen puffing on a cigarette outside a bar in Manchester as he enjoyed a lads' night out.
"It is baffling to see Wayne Rooney smoking because the long-term effects are well documented and are not conducive to professional athletes," said Mark Leather, senior lecturer in sports therapy at Edge Hill University.
"If you smoke regularly, your airways become blocked, it is tougher for oxygen to get round your body to your muscles and you can have respiratory problems," he added. "It was much more common in the past - Johann Cruyff smoked 20 or 30 a day - and in the short term it is not such a problem, but it is daft in the long term as it can curtail your career."
The England team were kicked out of the World Cup when Germany beat them 4-1. After the match, The Irish Times, LA Times and Cape Times all reported the fact that the German team were faster than the English, and this could have been down to the star players' smoking habits.
Professor John Britton, who is an expert in the health effects of smoking from the University of Nottingham, said that the main impact of smoking is on the respiratory system and how oxygen is transported throughout the body. "Carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke binds to red blood cells which stops them from carrying a full load of oxygen," he said. "It also introduces thousands of toxins into your system."
Professor Britton added: "This means the maximum performance of a footballer like Wayne Rooney will be less because he smokes. His decision doesn't seem to be logical because professional athletes usually want to be the best that they can be. Plus, the long-term health effects are massive. Half of smokers will die because of their habit."
Perhaps the footballers should consider quitting before the football season kicks off again. Stop smoking hypnotherapy is just one method that many people use to break the habit.
