Tuesday night against Germany, Karim Benzema celebrated a goal (finally refused) in the second period by removing his jersey before appearing in front of the French supporters in the stands.
The opportunity for photographers to "strafe" the player with the objectives at the edge of the lawn.
On one of the pictures obtained by the
AFP,
we can clearly see eight red circles, in two rows, along the backbone of the Habs.
Strange.
Some have seen traces of tattoos there but it is not at all a stylistic fantasy.
Karim Benzema, like other top athletes, uses a therapy called cupping or "
cupping
".
The process, ancestral in some Asian countries, is not revolutionary.
It consists of placing glass suction cups on the skin, taking care to slide a flame inside beforehand.
Emptied of their air, they then suck the epidermis for a few minutes before being withdrawn.
This would have the effect of decongesting certain blockages in the body and facilitating circulation while improving recovery.
The previous one with the American swimmers in Rio
During the Olympic Games in Rio, many swimmers of the American selection had resorted to this method of preparation.
Michael Phelps, the man with 23 Olympic gold medals, appeared at the edge of the pool covered with red polka dots on the back to encourage his compatriots in the relay.
Michael Phelps covered in red polka dots on his back at Rio Reuters Olympics
Athletes who follow this treatment in Asia and the United States
The effectiveness of such therapy remains to be demonstrated, however, even if it seems to have convinced some of the athletes. It is also given a placebo effect. “
The coaches experimented with it to see the effects. They introduced it slowly but quickly released it due to its success and popularity with athletes. We really try to make the recovery process easier for each individual athlete. Some benefit greatly from the effects, others have tried but have turned to different treatments
”, then explained the American trainer Jon Carlson, praising the benefits of the process used for a long time in Asia, especially to treat respiratory pathologies.