Football didn’t come home, but our boys played a blinder; are CBD and football a match made in heaven? The fact is, although we didn’t win, we played a formidable team and came second in the Euros. That’s the most progress we’ve made in years, and England’s boys may just be on an upward trajectory under the leadership of stylish Gareth Southgate.
There are lessons to be learned from our defeat. Included in those lessons is how our fans should behave and how those fans treat our players, but that’s for another day. However, there is still pride to be had and a brighter future for our team. So, with CBD beginning to take on a greater role in the lives of elite athletes, is it helping English football players recover faster and deal with pain?
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CBD and football have been dancing around the ball for years
Following the recent judgment from the world anti-doping agency (WADA) to exempt CBD from the list of banned cannabinoids, FIFA and many other major sports leagues have permitted athletes to use CBD. However, the number of professional football players that favour CBD use is still in the minority.
The reason for their reticence is simple to comprehend. Athletes are frequently expected to suffer in silence, and the use of opioids and strong painkillers by professional athletes are rarely discussed. However, attitudes seem to be changing.
Birmingham City became the first football team to partner with a CBD brand
Birmingham City recently signed a sponsorship deal with Green Monkey CBD. The Birmingham CBD brand agreed to supply the Championship club with a range of CBD goods and drinks, which will be available on match days across the Trillion Trophy Stadium. Although no Birmingham FC players have said publicly they use CBD products to help them recover, this partnership essentially sanctions their use of it.
More sports stars including professional footballers are choosing CBD over painkillers
Simon Church, a former footballer for Wales, retired from professional sports in 2018 owing to severe injuries.
“When you're experiencing issues as a footballer yet your niggles aren't quite severe enough to prevent you from training or playing, you're simply told to take pills to get through it. You do it because you don't want to skip practice, lose your spot, or appear weak,” he explained.
“It got to the point where I was completely dependent on pills. My stomach lining was deteriorating, and my body was in horrible shape.”
It isn’t just Britons who are advocating the use of CBD as a more natural method of pain management. Superstar U.S. soccer captain Megan Rapinoe is a huge advocate for the cannabinoid. In fact, the sports star has collaborated with her sister on a CBD brand specifically tailored for sports stars.
How will CBD and football fare together in the future?
There are still many athletes and former sports stars that use CBD who are hesitant to associate with Cannabis/CBD for fear of their reputation being tarnished. As the market for cannabidiol expands, more will certainly emerge. Especially when the number of CBD companies sponsoring events rises in tandem with the market.
As the industry's awareness of CBD and its potential as a food supplement develops, so will the number of athletes and sports personalities who try it to see whether they can benefit as much as their competitors. Ex-sportsmen and women who have retired and use CBD to help them in the aftermath of their careers are also expected to become more vocal about its benefits. Keep watch on the headlines for more athletes supporting the tremendous benefits of CBD oil after experiencing them themselves.
