Hemp Power

From Costa Rica to Vorarlberg – Football professional Pablo Chinchilla Vega on hemp & CBD

The native Costa Rican Pablo Chinchilla Vega, who has now found a new home in Vorarlberg, Austria, can look back on an impressive career after nearly 20 years in professional football: Chinchilla Vega was Costa Rican champion 5 times with LD Alajuelense, once American champion with Los Angeles Galaxy, and before he moved to the Austrian First League to SCR Altach, the defender born in San Jose participated in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea with the 'Los Ticos'.

The 42-year-old has not lost his connection to sports even today. The topic of health continues to occupy the former football professional. In this context, Chinchilla-Vega has also come across the cultivated plant hemp – a discovery that was completely surprising for the Costa Rican.

Highlights of the Career: World Cup 2002 & American Champion - Interview with Pablo Chinchilla

PABLO, YOU HAVE BEEN IN VORARLBERG FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. DO YOU MISS YOUR HOMELAND? Very much. You simply cannot compare these two countries. In Costa Rica, we have different climate zones, rainforests, volcanoes, beautiful beaches, and I miss that. The country is often referred to as the "Switzerland" of Central America, as it has no military and is relatively neutral, and moreover, the standard of living is significantly higher than in neighboring countries. However, what fascinates me the most is how much the people in my homeland love football. That has always fascinated me. What I appreciate about Austria, in return, is of course the nature but especially the safety, whether in financial or social terms.

You left Costa Rica to become a professional football player and you succeeded. How do you reflect on the past decades now? For me, the dream of becoming a professional football player has always been something very special. I really wanted to give everything for the sport while also seeing the rest of the world. I did that, and I am truly very grateful for it.

CBD oil from HANAFSAN for athletes like Pablo Chinchilla Vega for regeneration and performance enhancement

What were the most beautiful moments of your football career? A very special experience was the World Cup 2002 in Japan and South Korea. During the match against South Africa, we met the Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela and took a photo with him. Among all the wonderful moments I had, I will probably not forget that day anytime soon.

Did you often have complaints or injuries during your active playing time? I must say, I was lucky. I did not suffer any serious injuries during all those years, but I did experience some "wild things" from teammates. During my time in professional sports, I realized that nutrition, just like recovery, are two important factors in sports that were often neglected back then, as they still are today. Back then, we simply didn't have the knowledge about it, but today it looks quite different. Nevertheless, there are still significant gaps in education regarding this.

Former football professional Pablo Chinchilla Vega celebrates successes in Costa Rica, USA, and Austria

How did you come to hemp as a professional athlete? In fact, I had no idea at first. My wife brought me cannabidiol (CBD) oils back then, and of course, I was a bit skeptical at first. Until that point, I had not even heard the terms "hemp as a medicinal plant or hemp protein for athletes," but that has changed now. There is a lot of media coverage about it, and it seems that hemp has become an everyday companion. The plant is indeed a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to nutrition and regeneration, as well as, and this fascinates me just as much, in textiles and sustainability. I notice that the classic negative image of the "pot plant" is changing, and the absolutely positive properties are coming to the forefront, and that's a good thing. Not only with CBD cosmetics that have nourishing and protective effects - we have also had consistently positive experiences with hemp food. Our dog also benefits from hemp. Our veterinarian recommended the CBD oil for pets from HANAFSAN to us. Our dog had some skin problems back then. Pure natural products are truly a great thing, especially for animals.

Do you think that CBD and hemp products have a future in sports? It would be shocking if they didn't. I think a lot of education is needed, but overall it is moving in the right direction. The topic of nutrition is becoming increasingly important in sports, and the added value of CBD oils and CBD creams is developing in the minds of society and also in elite sports. Therefore, I assume that the cultivated plant will gain popularity in the foreseeable future and will be valued for its true worth.

Image source: © Pablo Chinchilla