“There is now a sporting use of coke”: the Épisode association meets young Béziers rugby players

Richard Castel au milieu des jeunes joueurs de Vendres. DR

Members of the Épisode association raise awareness among young players in the area.

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As was the case for the Entente Vendres Lespignan, members of the Épisode association regularly meet young athletes, particularly rugby players. Didier Babou is one of the employees of the organization. He was the one who went to the Vendres club. He confirms that cocaine use is becoming commonplace among young people: “In taking coke, there is not only the festive. There is also a sporting use. Cocaine is a very powerful psychostimulant that boosts the body, reduces for example, the effects of fatigue. Rugby players use it, that's for sure”

Épisode works with amateur clubs, but also professional ones. Its objective is to raise awareness among U16s, U18s and seniors under 25 about the harmful effects of using psychoactive substances. Alcohol is one of them, and is also statistically the most consumed by young people.

Reminding the legal framework

“As for illicit products like cocaine, our approach remains the same, only we remind them of the legal framework”, explains Antonia Dade, the president of the association. “We have found that no matter the addiction, the damage is shared.” Today, in addition to the Vendres club, the organization works with the Bédarieux and Olonzac clubs and, more recently, with the ASBH. But the association now wants to go further. “We talk about clubs, but it is also at the departmental level that we need to act: the problem is the same everywhere” , notes the president.

In this context, the association is in dialogue with the Hérault Departmental Rugby Committee. “With Cédric Garcia [the president of the committee, editor's note], we are considering putting something in place annually by 2026” , affirms Antonia Dade. Perhaps the sign of the beginnings of awareness.