'I struggled with cocaine addiction' says Olympic gold medal winner Sir Bradley Wiggins
Olympic cyclist and adopted Wiganer Sir Bradley Wiggins has opened up about how narrowly he escaped death during the darkest period of his cocaine addiction.
The five-time Olympic gold medal winner retired from cycling in 2016, but soon found himself trapped in a destructive cycle of debt and addiction.
His forthcoming autobiography The Chain is said to offer a raw and honest account of his childhood trauma, turbulent career and battle with substance abuse, and is set to be published later this year.
The 2012 Tour de France winner told the Observer: “There were times my son thought I was going to be found dead in the morning.
“I was a functioning addict. People wouldn’t realise. I was high most of the time for many years.”
The 45-year-old father of two overcame his addiction a year ago without any professional help and has since spoken openly about the severity of his dependency.
He added: “I had a really bad problem. My kids were going to put me in rehab. I was walking a tightrope.
“I realised I had a huge problem. I had to stop. I’m lucky to be here. I was a victim of all my own choices, for many years. I already had a lot of self-hatred, but I was amplifying it.
"It was a form of self-harm and self-sabotage. It was not the person I wanted to be. I realised I was hurting a lot of people around me.”
American cyclist Lance Armstrong, who admitted to doping in 2013, is supporting Wiggins with his recovery.