Fifa alarmed at widespread 'abuse' of painkillers

Fifa's chief medical officer has said the "abuse" of painkillers is putting the careers and long-term health of international footballers in jeopardy.

Dr Jiri Dvorak found that almost 40% of players at the 2010 World Cup were taking pain medication prior to every game, BBC reports.

Ahead of Euro 2012, Dr Dvorak has urged football to wake up to the problem.

He told the BBC that younger players are imitating the seniors and taking painkillers far too frequently.

Experts say that painkilling medication can be particularly dangerous in professional sport. In high-intensity exercise like football, a player's kidneys are continuously working hard, making them more vulnerable to damage from strong drugs.

Dr Dvorak believes that a major factor in the growing use of painkillers in football is the pressure on team doctors to get injured players back on the pitch quickly.