• Too much sex has been blamed for sportspersons' loss of form
• Kevin-Prince Boateng is an example of negative effects of sex on sportspersons
Sex and sports. Are they an odd couple or a perfect combination? Opinion on this question seems to be divided, based on the experiences I've had and heard from different people.
One time I was in the gym working out but I felt unusually weak despite loading up with the required foods and drinks to build up my energy. Weights that I would often lift without breaking sweat were now eliciting groans.
My pals with who I was training could not help but conclude that I had had too much sex the previous night and was drained of all strength.
Despite my protests that this wasn't the case — and indeed it wasn't — they insisted that overindulgence in 'bedminton' could be the only reason for my poor day in the gym.
The reason why I tell my personal encounter is that this is the 100 millionth time I have heard that sex is the kryptonite to a sportsperson.
Ten years ago, Melissa Satta, the wife of former Ghanaian international Kevin-Prince Boateng, revealed that the striker's constant injuries were a result of too much sex.
The television reporter said that the couple had sex at least six or seven times per week, which she connected to the former AC Milan man's extensive periods on the treatment period.
Back home in Kenya, many times a player's form goes downward, the first factor to be mentioned is their extensive love for amorous activities.
I once spoke to a former Kenya Premier League player who admitted that the biggest mistake his former club made was to sign a promising youngster from Western Kenya and transfer him to a school in Nairobi.
Once in the big city — and with female fans screaming his name every other game — this youngster lost focus and started chasing after skirts instead of hunting down loose balls on the pitch.
Thereafter, this teammate's form spiralled. He suffered injuries and kept jumping from one club to another to get his career back on track, without much success.
Additionally, one of the superstitions in Kenyan and African football is that having sex a night before a match brings bad luck on the material day.
Even fans who have just engaged in coitus are advised not to attend a game the next day because some believe the bad omen would be transferred to the pitch.
Of course, sex is a physical activity that requires energy to perform ably. Drained of strength after a night of bedroom action, it would be a stretch to expect a player to expend the same power on the field without taking much time to recover before then.
However, some would argue that a physically active lifestyle increases one's sex drive. For men, constant exercise increases testosterone, and with this comes enhanced libido.
It would be no surprise to be motivated to perform in the bedroom at higher energy than less active people. Regardless, always remember moderation is the key. Too much of something is poisonous.