Peruvian team allegedly poisons foes

Of all the drastic strategies to overcome a sports deficit, this one takes the cake.

A Peruvian soccer team allegedly poisoned a sports drink and gave it to their opponents during a match in an attempt to level the playing field, according to reports.

An unidentified member of Sport Ancash’s staff has been accused of giving players from opposing team Hijos de Acosvinchos drugged water after four of the players passed out in the final moments of their Peruvian second-division game, the New York Daily News reported.

With five minutes to go, Hijos de Acosvinchos defenseman Andy Salinas collapsed in the middle of the field and was examined by team doctors. Soon after play resumed, Luis Coelho and Martín Reategui also collapsed. A fourth player, Juan Luna, also fell ill from the water, the reports said.

“From what I remember… the goalie from the other team was being treated for an injury… Someone from the their (Sport Ancash) coaching staff, it must have been the equipment manager, the physical therapist or maybe the water boy, stepped onto the field and we shared drinks,” Salinas told Peruvian TV show A Primera Hora.

“I don’t remember who gave me the drink, but it wasn’t sweet, it had a bitter taste to it.”

Doctors at a nearby hospital found traces of benzodiazepine — a psychoactive drug with sedative properties — in the player’s bloodstream, the Daily News reported.

Sport Ancash President Jose Mallaqui rather boldly blamed the incident on poultry.

“I was able to find out that the players ate rotisserie chicken and had some energy drinks before the game, which ended up hurting them,” he told generaccion.com.

Despite the attempt, Sport Ancash ended up losing the game, 3-0.