Andre Agassi Secret Crystal Meth Addiction Exposed

@richarddeitsch: Book excerpt from Andre Agassi in the forthcoming SI: He admits to taking crystal meth during his career.

The tweet on Twitter about Agassi's crystal meth use was pulled down as fast as it was posted. Perhaps Sports Illustrated didn't want the leak to come ahead of the magazine distribution. A tweet to Sports Illustrated employee about the Agassi leak went unanswered.

Agassi's publisher, Random House, had previously published a promotional description of the Andre Agassi's book but did not mention his secret crystal meth addiction. Random House since confirmed that information about Agassi's meth addiction during his career is indeed part of the book.

People Magazine's website gives a peek inside Agassi's book:

Agassi's book, "Open", details his descent into drug use, as well as his hair loss, his troubled marriage to Brooke Shields and the love he eventually found with his current wife, Steffi Graf.

In the article published on the People Magazine site Agassi states, "I can't speak to addiction, but a lot of people would say that if you're using anything as an escape, you have a problem."

Andre Agassi is of the most beloved players in the U.S. Open. Agassi retired in 2006 after 20 years in professional tennis, having won eight Grand Slam championships, 60 singles titles and $31 million.

Coming forward and admitting to his addiction to crystal meth today is far different than it would have been if he came clean about his secret in 1997. Agassi admission back in the late 90's would have been a major embarrassment and a serious blow to the sport's integrity.

See the video on Agassi's secret meth addiction here.

Cheryl Phillips
HULIQ.com

sources: guardian.uk, People.com, Twitter