100 shots in 100 minutes: the students risking the health of their peers

The group are not a recognised society by Durham University Credit: PA

A society at Durham University has been criticised for organising events where members aim to drink 100 shots of beer in 100 minutes.

The Centurion Society, which was founded in October 2018 by a group of first-year students, now has more than 200 members.

It is not an officially recognised society of Durham University.

The group has been widely condemned for jeopardising the health of its members.

  • Requesting to only to be known as Caesar, the Centurion Society's founding member insisted it was "safe"

The society's culture and promotion of excessive drinking is strongly criticised by Colin Shevills, director of the alcohol awareness group Balance.

He said: "Any society, official or unofficial, which encourages students to drink 100 shots of the highest percentage drink to win an award, is putting the health of its members at serious risk."

"We know that long term heavy drinking puts more people at risk of cancer, heart disease and depression, but what is less often considered is that these sorts of quantities can be fatal even during one-off drinking episode."

Alcohol awareness group Balance have criticised the group Credit: PA

  • In a statement on behalf of Durham University, Sam Dale, the Director of Student Support and Wellbeing said: