Eighty per cent of bathrooms ultimately weekend’s Premier League derbies examined constructive for cocaine, a stunning MailOnline investigation has discovered.
Our probe found that soccer thugs excessive on the category A drug are fuelling a terrifying surge in violence at Premier League grounds.
At Sunday’s bad-tempered North London derby, whereas a senseless Spurs supporter was attempting to kick Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale, we swabbed 10 bathroom cubicles on the Tottenham Hotspur stadium to seek out eight confirmed indicators of the unlawful substance.
MailOnline reporter Vivek Chaudhary discovered widespread proof of cocaine use in bathrooms on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, within the match between Spurs and Arsenal on Sunday
Our staff used lab-approved swabs (pictured above) which immediately turned blue to point the presence of cocaine within the stadium bathrooms
Our probe discovered medication being taken contained in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the similar time that the match was marred when a Spurs fan aimed a kick at Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale
MailOnline’s findings come as a document variety of banning orders stopping followers from going to grounds on account of drug use and dysfunction have been imposed.
Of the outcomes, Paul Lewis, chair of the Soccer Security Officers Affiliation (FSA), mentioned: ‘I am not shocked in any respect by what MailOnline has uncovered. For these of us working within the sport, cocaine use at soccer is quite common.’
Mr Lewis, a former police officer, added: ‘It is occurring all over the place, from Premier League video games to the non-league stage.
We discovered proof of cocaine being snorted on bathroom cubicles at two of the Premier League’s greatest stadiums
‘We often obtain stories from our members of white powder being found in bathrooms, on the ground of stands and even exterior stadiums. The quantity of medication followers are taking is phenomenal at some video games.’
On the full-time whistle of the weekend’s North London and Manchester derbies, MailOnline swabbed the bathrooms on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Manchester United’s Outdated Trafford floor detecting widespread traces of the category A drug on surfaces.
Spurs have tried to cease followers from snorting medication within the bathrooms by eradicating the lids from the cisterns.
However that did not cease one supporter rising from a cubicle rubbing his nostril having made snorting noises behind the locked door.
Within the household block, with younger youngsters wandering round accompanied by their mother and father, our reporter went inside to see white powder nonetheless clearly seen on the bathroom roll holder.
A fast wipe alongside the floor and our lab-approved swab immediately turned blue, indicating that traces of the lethal drug have been current.
In some instances, cocaine was seen on the highest of bathroom cisterns and on bathroom roll holders
It was the identical scenario at Outdated Trafford the place exams confirmed a small shelf above the bathroom was getting used to rack up traces of cocaine.
The worrying discovery of cocaine use at these Premier League video games comes as new police figures confirmed soccer banning orders issued in relation to matches in England and Wales have elevated notably within the first half of the present season in comparison with the identical interval final season.
Information launched by the UK Soccer Policing Unit final week revealed there have been 343 banning orders issued between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022, a rise of 230 per cent in comparison with the identical interval within the 2021-22 marketing campaign.
Incidents involving supporter drug use elevated by 42 per cent. From November 10 final 12 months, anybody convicted of both possessing or supplying class A medicine at a regulated sport may be topic to a banning order.
A Tottenham fan was photographed showing to snort a line of medication on the pitch once they performed their ultimate match at White Hart Lane in 2017
There was an enormous police operation to maintain rival Tottenham and Arsenal followers aside on Sunday
It comes amid an enormous surge in football-related violence in any respect ranges, fuelled by drug use
The UK’s high soccer officer, Chief Constable Mark Roberts, has warned that extra followers than ever have been taking the drug at video games, making a ‘poisonous combine’ of violence.
He mentioned: ‘As we see extra violent incidents, cocaine is a type of components together with alcohol that can make it worse, and make folks extra violent.’
One supporter additionally mentioned cocaine at soccer was so rife that followers even snort it of their seats.
Mr Lewis, a retired police officer who’s now accountable for floor security at Nottingham Forest, added: ‘Cocaine is making followers behave in a extra violent manner and there isn’t any doubt that it is one of many contributory components to extra hassle at video games.
There was an enormous police presence on the Everton vs Southampton sport amid fan protests
‘The drug is being consumed in all elements of stadiums, not simply the place recognized hassle makers collect. Medicine are prevalent in society and this has spilled over into soccer.
‘It has been occurring for greater than ten years but it surely’s solely now that it is getting media consideration.’
The FSOA has known as on golf equipment to take extra motion to forestall cocaine from being consumed inside stadiums.
This consists of better use of sniffer canines, eradicating flat surfaces from inside bathroom cubicles and spraying surfaces with a particular chemical to forestall them getting used for the consumption of cocaine.
Mr Lewis added: ‘We welcome harder laws which might result in these utilizing or promoting medication inside stadiums being issued with banning orders however golf equipment have to develop simpler methods to fight this drawback.
There was a stunning second when a Tottenham fan kicked Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale within the again following the Gunners’ 2-0 win
The incident noticed the fan leap from the stands onto an promoting hoarding and kick Ramsdale within the again as he collected his water bottle
Richarlison was seen placing Ramsdale within the face which induced tensions to boil over
‘It is not possible to totally search each single fan that is going right into a stadium. However you may design areas in a sure manner making it more durable for them to make use of medication. And sniffer canines are additionally a fantastic deterrent.’
Tottenham Hotspur mentioned in a press release: ‘The Membership takes a zero-tolerance strategy to medication in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the rise in drug use is a regarding problem in wider society.
‘The Membership works intently with the Metropolitan Police on all drug-related issues and anybody discovered with unlawful substances throughout the stadium is banned.’
An announcement from Manchester United mentioned: ‘Manchester United takes a zero-tolerance strategy in direction of unlawful substance abuse and can proceed to clamp down on those that search to deliver or use any unlawful substances in our stadium.
‘Using unlawful substances in stadiums is a collective problem in our sport, in addition to in wider society, and we’re dedicated to working with the related authorities to eradicate it from soccer to make sure Outdated Trafford stays an inclusive and secure place for all our supporters to come back and assist the staff.’