Smoking in professional soccer players in France.

An enquiry was conducted to determine the smoking habits of coaches and pro fessional soccer players in the first and second division of the French cha mpionship in 1993 and 1994. The rate of response was 31% for coaches (36 re sponded) and 54% for players (257 responded). Among the coaches, 19% were s mokers, 14% were ex-smokers and 67% were non-smokers; for players, the rate s were 36%, 3% and 71% respectively. The percentage of smokers was higher i n second division players (31%) than in first division players (20%). Forty percent smoked less than 6 cigarettes a day. Fifty-eight percent of the coaches and 39% of the players thought that smok ing and sports were compatible. This study shows that even the highest leve l sports are not spared fr om the effect of smoking. Other reports of simil ar smoking habits have been reported in other sports in France. The image o f athletes who smoke given by the media is in contradiction with the nation al French policy forbidding tobacco advertising in stadiums.