Cardiff City probe video shows star Connor Wickham ‘breathing in hippie crack from a balloon’

Cardiff City probe video shows star Connor Wickham ‘breathing hippie crack from a balloon’ after his side’s defeat to rivals Swansea

  • Wickham, 30, holds a balloon to his mouth as he inhales and exhales
  • The images, uploaded to his Instagram account, have now been deleted

Cardiff City are investigating a video in which striker Connor Wickham appears to be inhaling so-called ‘hippy crack’ from a balloon following his side’s defeat to rivals Swansea.

Wickham, 30, holds a balloon to his mouth as he inhales and exhales just hours after coming on as a substitute in the 3-2 defeat at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The images, uploaded to his Instagram, has since been removed. But the footballer drew fierce criticism from fans when the video showed a group of individuals singing and dancing in a car shortly after Cardiff’s stoppage time loss. The sun reports.

Wickham has since responded to the allegations, posting a statement on his social media.

Wickham, 30, is seen holding a balloon to his mouth as he inhales and exhales just hours after appearing as a substitute during the 3-2 defeat at Cardiff City Stadium

Wickham, 30, is seen holding a balloon to his mouth as he inhales and exhales just hours after appearing as a substitute during the 3-2 defeat at Cardiff City Stadium

Wickham pictured during Saturday's Championship game between Cardiff City and Swansea

Wickham pictured during Saturday’s Championship game between Cardiff City and Swansea

The footballer was strongly criticized by fans when the video showed a group of people singing and dancing in a car

The footballer was strongly criticized by fans when the video showed a group of people singing and dancing in a car

He said: “Obviously I am aware of a video circulating on social media. I know my responsibility as a professional. Playing for Cardiff City is a huge privilege, I have been made so welcome by all of you and I will always give 100%.

“To lose the game like we did yesterday hurt more than ever, even though you will feel it doesn’t seem that way to me.”

“I hope you all can understand and I will do my best [to] help my team and this club to get the best possible result this season.”

MailOnline understands that Cardiff City are investigating the incident.

It comes as the use of nitrous oxide is about to be banned as the government launches its new police mission to crack down on anti-social behaviour.

More commonly known as nitrous oxide, nos or ‘hippy crack’ – which comes in a small metal canister – the noxious substance is inhaled using balloons and is described as a feeling of relaxation and dissociation from reality.

Wickham has since responded to the allegations, posting a statement on his social media

Wickham has since responded to the allegations, posting a statement on his social media

Brandon Williams, 22, of Manchester United in action during a team training session earlier this month

Brandon Williams, 22, of Manchester United in action during a team training session earlier this month

In recent years there has been increasing concern about its impact on a user’s health and about the ‘epidemic’ of the silver canisters that are scattered all over the public space.

But last week, Manchester United star Brandon Williams was photographed inhaling the legal high nitrous oxide from a balloon near the club’s training ground.

The 22-year-old full-back, who has failed to break into the club’s first team this season, was filmed appearing to inhale the laughing gas as a passenger in a moving Mercedes Brabus supercar.

In the video published by The Sun, he appears to be passing a bus from the high to a rear passenger in the car as he is filmed from another vehicle.