Veteran Ghanaian coach JE Sarpong has cautioned footballers against the abuse of drugs.

According to the former Kotoko and Hearts of Oak coach players risk contracting heart-related diseases if they fall prey to drug abuse.

Speaking to Adeiso-based Tru FM, Coach Sarpong said that due to the demands of the profession, footballers are more likely to resort to drugs and that could impact their career negatively.

"Any drug or medicine that you take without the doctors prescription is 'Drug Abuse'. Most of the players don't know but just because he wants to play he will take it. Some even take 'Meprocin' which is a pain killer which do not help at the end as you expect at the beginning. The infection will come as you grow so it won't help you to prolong your football career. It Is very dangerous.

"There is a drug called Gardner, that tablet is yellow which is normally used by the long journey drivers especially the petrol tanker drivers, it prevents them from sleeping and if a player takes it he will play the ninety-minute without tiredness. If you are not experienced you will not see them. It Is not good because after taking it, it won't help you to sleep all the night because you might go to training the next morning but you will feel stressed.

"You'll fall sick after the game because it adds extra energy to the one you have. It will cut your football career short, that's why sometimes you will see someone dying at the age of 23”. "Don't take any drug without a prescription from a doctor. Some of the players take more than what the doctors tell them to do but it affects them in their old age”.

Coach Sarpong recently confessed to buying Indian hemp for a player to boost his performance.

Sarpong who was then coach of Great Olympics revealed that the strange situation occurred in a game against rivals Accra Hearts of Oak.