- A Tottenham star has apologised after filming himself inhaling laughing gas
- Possession of nitrous oxide with the intent to use it for recreational purposes is an illegal act
- Get the latest Premier League news straight to your phone via Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp channel
A key Tottenham midfielder was forced to issue a grovelling apology after filming himself inhaling laughing gas and posting the video on Snapchat.
Spurs star Yves Bissouma posted a video on his private Snapchat account, which was obtained by The Sun, in which he inhales laughing gas in a chauffeured limousine and laughs between puffs.
The news comes just a week before Spurs begin their Premier League campaign at Leicester City next Monday night and will be an unwelcome distraction for manager Ange Postecoglou and Bissouma’s teammates.
The 27-year-old former Mali and Brighton midfielder released a statement on Sunday evening apologising for his “serious lack of judgement”.
Bissouma said: “I want to apologize for those videos. That was a serious lack of judgement.”
Spurs star Yves Bissouma posted a video of himself inhaling laughing gas on social media
The Tottenham star later apologized in a long statement for the “serious lack of judgement”
“I understand the seriousness of the situation and the associated health risks and I also take my responsibility as a footballer and role model very seriously.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur told The Sun: “We are investigating the incident.”
“This is being treated as an internal matter.”
Possession of nitrous oxide for recreational use was made illegal in the UK last year.
Nitrous oxide, also known as “hippie crack,” comes in containers that can be oversized.
The canisters are then used to fill balloons, which are inhaled to produce a quick “high.”
Consumption carries a number of risks, including heart attacks, strokes and brain damage. There have been deaths among users.
In November, the law was changed and nitrous oxide was declared a controlled Class C drug. Possession for the purpose of inhalation is now a criminal offence, although conviction is unlikely unless there is suspicion that someone intends to supply it to others.
New, oversized containers can deliver 80 times the usual dose, and containers can be purchased online and relatively inexpensively as long as the buyer confirms they are over 18 years old and the preparation is to be used for food production.
The Malian international stressed that he knows “how serious the situation is and what health risks it entails.”
There are concerns that drug use among Premier League football players is widespread and routine doping tests are unlikely to detect it.
Bissouma is entering his third season with the north London outfit and has made a total of 56 appearances for the club.
The midfielder previously played for league rivals Brighton, where he made 124 appearances for the Seagulls in four seasons.
