Bradley Wiggins has spoken out about his struggles with cocaine addiction. The 45-year-old British cycling legend revealed that his son feared he may find him dead after he became a "functioning cocaine addict" following his retirement in 2016.
What happened?
Wiggins, who won the 2012 Tour de France alongside five Olympic gold medals, fell into debt and addiction after retiring. He was declared bankrupt last year despite having built an estimated fortune of £13m.
He told The Observer that he was "high most of the time for many years" and had a "really bad problem" with cocaine. Wiggins' kids were going to put him in rehab, but he was able to quit his addiction around a year ago without external help.
Why it matters for Bradley Wiggins
Wiggins' addiction struggles came after he was involved in the "jiffy bag" incident, in which Team Sky and British Cycling were investigated after a package containing an unknown substance was delivered to him at the 2011 Criterium de Dauphine.
He has finally found some peace after the incident and subsequent investigation. Wiggins said he has been "in the eye of the storm" and that he would love to know what actually happened with the package.
What comes next?
Wiggins' autobiography, The Chain, will be published later this year. He has been helped by fellow former cyclist Lance Armstrong, who was stripped of his own Tour de France titles after a doping scandal.
Armstrong has also helped former rival Jan Ullrich with his own addiction and mental health problems. Wiggins said that Armstrong "worried about me for a long time" and that he is "lucky to be here" after his struggles with addiction.
Wiggins' son Ben, 20, currently rides for UCI team Hagens Berman Jayco and became a junior world champion in the Madison event in 2023. Wiggins is now focused on his recovery and is grateful for the support of his family and friends.
He explained that his addictive behaviour "was amplifying" his own "self-hatred". Wiggins said that it was a form of "self-harm and self-sabotage" and that he realised he was hurting a lot of people around him.
In previous interviews, Wiggins has revealed personal struggles, including abuse at the hands of a cycling coach when he was a junior. He is now using his platform to raise awareness about addiction and mental health.
Wiggins' story is a reminder that even the most successful athletes can struggle with addiction and mental health issues. His bravery in speaking out about his struggles will hopefully inspire others to seek help and support.