Hellemans admits that many athletes regard his alcohol theories, which are even more stringent than ALAC's, with a wary eye. If a sportsperson was in training but wanted to socialise with alcohol it should be done with food, he said. Have a drink with your meal - a glass of wine, or a maximum of two glasses. The effects would be minimal, although it's still metabolised quite slowly. It's still in your system when you turn up the next morning, but it is less likely to have after effects.
Spirits are even slower to metabolise than wine and beer.
A common mistake made by athletes was their belief that they were rehydrating after a match by drinking alcohol. That's a definite no-no, he said. Hydrate first with appropriate carbohydrate replacement fluids as well as solids. Hellemans said athletes who were training to their optimum had an easy guide to rehydration. Before starting exercise they should weigh themselves.