Van Persie sparks placenta craze
19 Nov 2009 - 11:50:09
Numerous Premier League footballers have been flying off to Serbia in order to find an unusual cure for their injuries. Football.co.uk finds out what the fuss is about. Premier League footballers have recently been visiting Serbian herbal doctor Mariana Kovacevic in order to aid recovery from injury.
Arsenal's Robin van Persie hit the headlines after revealing that he planned to use the same treatment which helped PSV Eindhoven midfielder Danko Lazovic to recover from his injury.
Van Persie injured ankle ligaments after falling heavily on his right ankle just 10 minutes into Holland's friendly against Italy and has been ruled out for up to six weeks.
It has since emerged that Liverpool stars such as Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun have been to see the same female doctor in the past week. Others to have benefitted from Kovacevic's methods include Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany and Nigel de Jong. It has even transpired that Kovacevic recently turned down an offer from Manchester City to join their medical staff.
The treatment the Serbian housewife is said to use involves massaging the injured area with fluid from a placenta, reported to be from a horse, and apparently halves recovery time.
WHAT THEY SAY:
Van Persie:
"I am going to receive treatment from a female doctor. She is vague about her methods but I know she first massages you for a long time with placenta fluid. I'm going to give it a try.
"It can't do any harm and if it helps it helps. I have been in contact with Arsenal's chief physio about it. The club has allowed me to have this treatment done."
Zoran Krneta, Star Management Signings' spokesman, the agency who represent Kovacevic:
"Mariana used to treat people in her spare time, but it has started spiralling out of control. She is quite secretive about it, but the three main elements are massage, the liquid and maybe a little bit of psychology. I'm not sure how much percentage applies to each, but it is effective.
"She receives people in her home, and though there has been some scepticism, she is schooled in physiotherapy. That has always been the essence of her work."
Doctor Carol Cooper, newspaper The Sun's expert:
"A placenta contains a number of proteins but it's completely unproven. The placenta has probably come from a large animal such as a horse. I'm not sure whether the treatment will make much of a difference."
Daily Mail columnist and former physio's dream Jamie Redknapp:
"I went to America, to Germany, to Italy and to France, where I travelled with a knee injury and the osteopath wanted to take my wisdom teeth out. Apparently, it is to do with clear pathways around your body. I went to Germany to see Hans Muller-Wohlfahrt, who specialises in injecting extracts of cockerel crest into your knee.
Yes, I went to see Eileen Drewery, too. Why not? She was promising to help me and, for a while, it felt as if she was making a difference. I had a broken ankle and it started to ease. She talked of 'cleansing my aura'. Let's just say it had mixed results, but when the England manager tells you to go and see her, you do it, because you want to play for England."
-By David Brenchley
