Sir Bradley Wiggins has revealed he became addicted to cocaine following his retirement from cycling and is “lucky to be here”. The 2012 Tour de France winner and five-time Olympic champion said his children wanted to put him in rehab amid fears the issue could prove fatal.
Wiggins, a father of two, is now 12 months sober, attends regular therapy sessions and feels “a lot more at peace” with himself.
“There were times my son thought I was going to be found dead in the morning,” he told the Observer.
“I was a functioning addict. People wouldn’t realise. I was high most of the time for many years. I was walking a tightrope. I realised I had a huge problem. I had to stop. I’m lucky to be here.”
Since ending his career in 2016, Wiggins has spoken about his father’s jealousy and being groomed by a coach as a child. The 45-year-old, who last year was declared bankrupt, said disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has helped him with his recovery, including offering to pay for therapy.
“My addiction was a way of easing that pain that I lived with,” said Wiggins, according to Cycling Weekly. “I’m still figuring a lot of this out but what I have got is a lot more control of myself and my triggers; I’m a lot more at peace with myself now which is a really big thing.”
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In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
