Beckham’s asthma ‘has no effect on his performance’

David Beckham's asthma will not affect his chances at the World Cup, his agent insisted yesterday after the footballer was photographed using an inhaler.

Beckham's agent Simon Oliveira was quick to play down fears that the England midfielder could struggle in the thin air in South Africa, where the six World Cup venues are at least 3,000 feet above sea level. Beckham rejoins AC Milan next month, where he hopes to prove himself fit enough to make Fabio Capello's England squad for the World Cup next summer.

Beckham was photographed using an inhaler just before extra-time in Los Angeles Galaxy's MLS Cup final defeat by Real Salt Lake on Sunday (above). Oliveira admitted that Beckham had dealt with a mild form of asthma since childhood but claimed that it had not affected his game.

"David has suffered with this since he was a young boy but obviously it has had no effect on his performance," Oliveira said. "He has never sought to make it public but, if it does inspire any sufferer to think they can achieve great things, then so much the better."

Altitude is expected to be a factor for players at the World Cup in South Africa. But a spokesman for the British Lung Foundation, Dr John Moore-Gillon, said it should not affect Beckham adversely. "Plenty of elite athletes suffer from asthma without it affecting performance, particularly if it is well-controlled."

However Moore-Gillon did warn that the use of inhalers could, in some circumstances, fall foul of drug abuse laws.

Some of the most high-profile athletes to overcome asthma include Paula Radcliffe, the marathon runner, Paul Scholes, Beckham's former England and Manchester United team-mate, and the Olympic gold medal winning swimmer Rebecca Adlington. ·