England's Vardy goes to training with energy drink, tobacco

Jamie Vardy's meteoric fable has its latest chapter.

The Leicester City and England striker was photographed on his way to training in Chantilly ahead of a pivotal tilt with Wales sporting a healthy aperitif of an energy drink and a tin of chewing tobacco.

(Photos courtesy: the Mirror)

While nicotine and caffeine aren't banned items, both are listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency's monitored list.

"The key question here for the anti-doping authorities is establishing, scientifically, if stimulants like nicotine are performance enhancing," former UK anti-doping chief Michele Verokken offered.

"It has been on the monitored list since 2012 and would only be an issue when used in competition. It would act as a stimulant by increasing the heart rate. But as things stand it is not a doping offence."

With brethren in smoking Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny already on the books at Arsenal, perhaps Vardy's habit gives credence to the north London side's interest in the 29-year-old goal machine.