I'm not an alcoholic: Symonds by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:

A Symonds

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DateLine: 29th June 2009

 

Troubled Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds denied being an alcoholic but conceded he is a binge drinker.

 

The all-rounder also said that he struggles to manage the attention that comes with being an international cricketer.

 

"I'm not an alcoholic. I've been diagnosed as a binge drinker. I'd go out and drink too much, too fast," Symonds said in an interview with 'Nine Network'.

 

"I'm not proud of the times that I've drunk too much and been rude to someone or broken team rules," the burly Queenslander said.

 

Symonds was asked to return home from the ICC World Twenty20 Championship in England and Cricket Australia also dumped him from its central contract for an alcohol-related indiscretion.

 

Speaking about the issues the burly right-hander said that he is glad to be free of the pressure.

 

"Now I'm out of that environment, that won't happen anymore for those people in that team and for me," he said.