IM Vijayan, Renedy Singh urge youngsters to get addicted to football, not drugs

IM Vijayan hails from a very humble background and used to sell soda bottles inside football stadiums for a living during childhood. But, his love for football and dedication towards the game made him one of the greatest footballers to have ever played for the country. On the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the former footballer has urged youngsters to stay away from drugs, instead encouraged them to get addicted to football.

 “It (sports) helps you maintain a biological clock. You have a healthy appetite; maintain an eight-hour sleep cycle which is important to stay fit. Get addicted to football, not drugs. Drugs can never be a solution, rather it’s a problem rooted deeper. It destroys the lives of everyone around the addicted person. The after-effects are devastating,” said IM Vijayan, in a release from the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

On the other hand, another former International, Renedy Singh stated that taking getting addicted to drugs is like getting into a ‘black hole’, while, sports always provide ‘positivity and energy’ which lets people overcome negativity and obstacles in life.

“Don’t jump into the black hole. Depression, unemployment, poverty, competition in professional life, family tragedy - we have all been hit by something or the other. Under such circumstances people turn to drugs,” said Renedy Singh.

“Sports, let alone football, provide you with so much positivity and energy which helps you get over this negativity and obstacle. It helps you getting healthier physically as well as psychologically,” added the former international.