The all too recent and tragic death of Tom Maynard, the Surrey cricketer, who lost his life in his prime, just as he was making waves in the England set up, has raised many a question and point for debate after the results from the inquest into his death were returned. The fact that Tom Maynard was shown to have taken the popular party drug MDMA on the night he died, combined with high levels of alcohol found in his urine; he was over four times the drink drive limit, undoubtedly played a major part in the circumstances which led up to his tragic death.
A young sportsman being cut down in their prime, raises not only the need for more out of competition recreational drug testing in cricket, but also re-emphasises the common nature of drug taking and the great ease of purchasing illegal drugs on the streets. Obviously it is an extremely difficult matter to police, however personally I feel the solution may lie in education. Especially at a young age, teenagers are becoming more and more susceptible to peer pressure and the widespread nature of drugs means this will only continue. Perhaps this situation can be aided by shock-teaching methods introduced at an even younger age, outlining the true path messing with drugs can take you down. There is no shortage of tragic stories out there. At Tiffin School earlier this year we were visited by Shaun Attwood who had been successful in America and was living a lifestyle involving and distributing Ecstasty, he thought he was above the law, however as he detailed everything came crashing down around him, ending in a lengthy time spent in one of the strictest jails around.
The competitive culture and nature of sport is also privy to inciting drug use, mainly performance enhancing but it also provides opportunity for recreational drugs. Especially now with increasingly higher salaries for those at the top level. This has become a more prominent issue with the disgraced Lance Armstrong finally giving in and admitting to cheating the sport of cycling for years on end. The issue of drugs however, I fear may never be sold and it is a daily problem which is nevertheless on our doorstep, quite literally at Tiffin School, as the drug rehabilitation centre Kalaiedoscope is situated right outside the school, serving as a reminder of where the wrong choices can take you.
