‘It’s alarming’: Benzema finds himself at the heart of a scandal in Spain

In a recent study, researchers analyzed 60,000 urine samples from Italian athletes. In particular, they found the presence of nicotine, which would be beneficial for athletes. This would be due to the consumption of snus, a form of tobacco packaged in a bag. A product that would be used by footballers and in particular Karim Benzema.

If tobacco is harmful to health, it would seem that several top athletes consume it regularly. In any case, this is what recent research has deduced, which analyzed more than 60,000 urine samples from Italian athletes, in which they found traces of nicotine. ” I can assure you that the presence of nicotine in the urine is not due to the fact that someone smoked next to them, we have established minimum standards to avoid these errors. They administered nicotine by some route “, has explained Thomas Zandonaione of the researchers behind this study and specialist in substances not controlled by anti-doping, in remarks relayed by El Confidential.

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Benzema consuming snus?

” It is also a psychoactive that stimulates the attentional part of the brain. This is why we have seen a higher prevalence in sports such as archery or horse riding, which require concentration but not great athletic ability. “, added Thomas Zandonai. Football would also be affected. The traces of nicotine would come from snus, a form of tobacco packaged in a bag, chewing or sucking. According El Confidential, Karim Benzema would consume it. The Spanish media relies on images where we can see that the language of the attacker of the real Madrid is blue.

“Big problems due to the increase in player consumption”

” In Spain we don’t know snus very well, but in the Premier League it causes big problems due to the increase in consumption by players “, noted Thomas Zandonai. Note that snus has been a banned substance in the European Union since 1989, with the exception of Sweden. The researchers judged this finding “ alarming “. Indeed, each sachet of snus is the equivalent of three cigarettes and also contains around thirty carcinogenic substances, with considerable damage to the tongue, teeth and gums.

“The levels of substance use are very similar”

” There is an idea that the sports world is much healthier than other professions, but I have studied it for many years and I can assure you that is not the case. Levels of substance use are very similar, if not slightly higher, as professional sport involves a lot of stress. It is not certain that nicotine is useful in high level competitions “, added Thomas Zandonai.