Former Arsenal footballer and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Tony Adams has opened up about his son's ongoing battle with alcohol addiction, describing the painful experience of watching a loved one "self-destruct" over a decade.
Father's Guilt Over Son's Addiction
During a recent appearance on Matt Willis's On the Mend podcast, Adams revealed that his 34-year-old son Oliver is currently in recovery from alcoholism. The former England defender admitted to carrying significant guilt about his son's addiction issues, believing his own past struggles with alcohol contributed to Oliver's problems.
"When you see someone you love killing himself, you're like, whoa," Adams said emotionally. "I'm going 'oh my God... all the blame'. I put him in a bar where my alcoholism took me."
A Painful Family Legacy
Adams recalled how he would leave young Oliver in pubs during his own drinking binges, creating an environment that normalized alcohol consumption from an early age. "I put him behind the bar when he was five with a few toys, a few cars, and I went out on a weekend binge," Adams explained. "I left him with the publican for a weekend. That's where my alcoholism took me. No wonder he kind of turns into... you know, he's affected by this illness."
The former footballer, who has been sober for thirty years following his own well-documented struggles with addiction, founded the charity Sporting Chance in 2000 to support athletes dealing with similar issues. His personal experience with recovery proved crucial when his son finally reached out for help.
The Path to Recovery
Adams described the moment his son asked for assistance two years ago, saying Oliver told him: "Dad, I'm f****d, I'm done." The former Arsenal captain immediately responded by taking his son to recovery meetings and helping him find a sponsor.
Oliver celebrated two years of sobriety in July last year, sharing his journey on social media. "I am 2 years sober and I'm finally at peace & comfortable in my own skin," he wrote on Instagram. "I didn't know I didn't have peace before or even what it was if I'm totally honest."
From Football to Strictly Come Dancing
Tony Adams, who participated in Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, has six children and two grandchildren. His openness about addiction extends beyond his family, as he continues to advocate through Sporting Chance for athletes facing similar challenges.
The former defender's own history includes imprisonment for drink-driving after being caught four times over the legal limit, making his thirty-year sobriety journey particularly remarkable. His son's recovery represents another chapter in the family's ongoing battle with addiction.
Oliver's Instagram post continued: "I won't go into how much better my life is (which it is) or how much I love everyone who has helped and supported me over the last 2 years (which I do) but even when I've wanted to cry and scream it's been an amazing journey. I'm so excited to continue growing and experiencing all the beautiful things that have come into my life because I've stayed clean and sober one day at a time."
