The Beijing Olympic gold medalist once spent a million francs to quit drinking: saying that it was a shame and hoping to help others

A few days ago, the 2008 Beijing Olympics men's 800 meters champion, Kenya's Wilfred Kipkenboy Ben gai, was interviewed by the BBC to reveal to the media that he had been an alcoholic after retiring, endangering his family, and finally had to undergo alcohol abstinence treatment to return to normal life. Ben Gai also said that he is willing to share his story, hoping that retired athletes can take him as a warning so that more people can live a normal life after retirement.

The highlight of Ben gai's career was in the 800 meters of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, when Ben Gai won the gold medal in the men's 800 meters at the Beijing Olympics with a time of 1 minute 44.65 seconds. The 28-year-old Ben Gai began training in athletics from elementary school, first running 200 meters and 400 meters, then trying the decathlon, and finally determined to be 800 meters at an older age, and won a silver medal at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics, and Ben Gai was also the world record holder in the men's 4x800 meters relay. In 2011, Benguet became tainted with alcoholism after retiring from the army.

Wilfred Kipkenboy Benguet (Xinhua)

Alcoholism to hallucinations

The son did not dare to ride in his car

In 2011, Benguet chose to leave his career as an athlete to begin his retirement life because he had enough money and time.

In an interview with the BBC himself, Benguet himself said: "In my sports career of about 13 to 14 years, I only had 20 days off each year, and a lot of time was devoted to training and competition. When I retired I found that I had plenty of time to try things I hadn't tried before, and alcohol allowed me to find things to do. "Slowly drinking took over Bengay's life, and he even lied to himself that he needed a glass of wine in order to take care of the children, so he began to take out vodka and drink it unscrupulously." I stocked a lot of wine in my house. I never went to a club or a bar before. I just drank at home and no one knew I was an alcoholic. I could have been drunk for 5 days in a row. My life was chaotic at the time, my wife she also had a lot of problems, fortunately my children were still very young, only 6 and 7 years old, which did not affect them much, and I became an alcoholic in two years after retiring. Benguet confessed.

Because of alcoholism, Ben Gai began to put a bottle or two of wine in the car, Ben Gai said: "The children were afraid to get in the car with me, because several times I drank and drove home, not only that, drinking also had a big impact on my body, for a while, I felt itchy, my whole body began to sweat, the terrible thing is that I also felt hallucinations, at that time I was very scared, had to be held to sleep." I feel like I've really had enough. ”

Spend 1 million francs to quit drinking

The wife is supportive

When Benguet began to realize the importance of abstaining from alcohol, he chose to go to a rehabilitation center for treatment.

According to The Standard, in September 2012, Ben Gai began to enter the rehabilitation center for treatment, and Ben Gai said, "I knew that I was at the trough of my life. Alcoholics don't admit to being addicted to alcohol, and after I went to the rehabilitation center I just wanted to go home, and I didn't think I had any problems. ”

When he entered the rehabilitation center for treatment, Ben Gai's mood has been very low, at that time he began to try to overcome the problem of alcohol on him, and finally his wife stepped forward, which gave Ben Gai a lot of encouragement, "In the rehabilitation center, I don't have time to spend time with my family, nor can I play with my children, I can only stay alone." It was my wife who gave me support and she was also affected by my alcoholism. I wouldn't have been able to quit drinking without the help my family gave me. Benguet said. I spent 6 weeks in the rehabilitation centre, which cost me 1 million francs, but I did not regret it, if I had not succeeded in quitting drinking, then I would have spent all the wealth I had gained through the competition by now. ”

Successfully quit drinking

Fell in love with reading

After coming out of the rehabilitation center, Ben Gai did not drink a single drop of wine. Benguet himself was deeply touched by the experience, "A lot of alcoholics are smart and wealthy people, they may be the best in their industry. Sometimes they feel guilty and ashamed, which puts a lot of pressure on them and they need help from society. When he said what he had experienced, Benguet said he was happy, "It's a very humiliating thing indeed, but I must tell it, I know that this story of mine may save other people." ”

Today's Ben Gai has a new hobby, that is, reading. He is an avid reader of inspirational books and autobiographies, and he loves books by author Robert Kiyosaki, which have also put his life on the right track. According to Xinhua's Africa report, Ben Gai once went to the election of parliamentarians to let young athletes learn to manage their finances and prevent them from falling into financial crisis.

Kenyan athletes have been facing various problems such as alcoholism after retirement, according to the BBC, in 2011, the 2011 Beijing Olympic marathon champion Kenyan runner Samuel Kamau Wangiru was drunk and unfortunately fell to his home and died at the age of 24. Michel Boeting, a Dutchman familiar with kenyan athletics, said: "Many athletes will have a lot of friends and family gatherings after retirement, and it is difficult for them not to participate in it. Many athletes do not think about how to organize their retirement life around their sports careers, which has led to alcohol abuse and other situations. Kenya has always been the cradle of athletics champions, including Kipcho Gai, who broke the human marathon world record, and Koski, who broke the women's half-horse world record, are also Kenyans.

In Kenya, the vast majority of elite athletes see running as a way out of poverty, but few athletes can manage their lives and finances after retirement, how to manage their lives after retirement without getting involved in vices, which is not only athletes, but also athletes' associations should deal with good things.

Red Star News reporter He Pengnan Tian Yu

Edit by Wan Wei Gang