The recent decision by many leading sporting organisations to drop their alcohol sponsors has opened up the debate of whether sporting teams should endorse alcohol.
 

Although alcohol sponsors provide valuable funding to many sporting teams, government feels it is sending the wrong message, as many of the sports teams represented are health conscious sportspeople who don’t even drink alcohol. The government has in turn provided funding to replace that lost by dropping the alcohol sponsors.
 

Whether or not the largest sports teams in Oz will also adopt the new sponsorship approach remains unclear with the AFL, NRL and Cricket Australia still remaining neutral on the issue, some say continuing to be a bad influence on children by exposing them to alcohol promotion. Meanwhile the Football Federation of Australia has adopted a leading role in the movement to remove alcohol sponsorships from sport.
 

It is probable that alcohol sponsorships will gradually phase out as did the tobacco sponsorships of the past. And as this made tobacco less “glamourous” by not promoting it and associating it will sports, government hopes that this initiative will do the same for alcohol.
 

The large number of minors especially that alcohol is being promoted to is worrying. Just because it is easier to accept money from the big alcohol companies, doesn’t mean it is what is best for society and the community, government wants more sporting teams to take a stand and the funding it provides has given the initiative a kick start.
 

This post on Sbs.com. provides more detail:
 

Australia’s biggest sporting leagues are under pressure to drop alcohol sponsorship after a dozen other codes effectively banned similar types of advertising and support.
 

 Twelve leading sporting organisations – covering athletes in soccer, basketball, netball, swimming, cycling, hockey and others – have agreed to end all existing and future alcohol sponsorship agreements.
 

 In exchange, the groups will share $25 million in replacement government funding taken from new Alcopops tax revenues.
 

 But the nation’s biggest sports organisations – AFL, NRL and Cricket Australia – have not yet signed up to the new program, prompting alcohol abuse experts to push for a similar approach.
 

 “We urge the remaining sports such as AFL, NRL and cricket to start discussions with the government as to how they too can move away from their present role in exposing children to alcohol promotion,” said Professor Mike Daube, co-chair of the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol.
 

 Sports Minister Kate Lundy, who announced the “Be The Influence” strategy on Saturday, said more sporting groups were not part of the initiative partly due to funding issues.
 

 “With $25 million available, this is the best we can do,” she told reporters in Melbourne.
 

 She did, however, praise the three big leagues for their own efforts in trying to reduce binge drinking.
 

 “The issue here is that they are all carrying a responsible drinking message,” she said.
 

Last week, the AFL announced a 10-year extension to a major sponsorship deal with Carlton United Brewers.
 

Cricket Australia has been sponsored by VB for years while the NRL has commercial partnerships with Fosters and Diageo, which makes Bundaberg Rum.
 

These kinds of funding arrangements, however, are now being questioned by some athletes.
 

“It would be an easy option to turn to the alcohol companies,” said Olympic swimming champion Geoff Huegill, who supports Swimming Australia’s decision to join the government initiative.
 

“Back in the 80s you had the tobacco companies that were doing the same things as well. From stamping that out, we’ve had massive change.”
 

 Football Federation of Australia CEO Ben Buckley says his organisation is proud to take a leadership role in reducing alcohol abuse.
 

 “We have an absolute responsibility to make our community clubs and our professional clubs role models in society,” he said.
 

 But NRL spokesman John Brady said he hoped the government would invest more funding in harm prevention groups rather than target sports sponsorship programs.
 

 “Trying to ban alcohol sponsorship isn’t going to achieve anything,” he said.
 

 Australian Medical Association president Dr Steve Hambleton urged big sporting codes to realise the days of accepting cash from alcohol companies were quickly coming to an end.
 

Source: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1662422/12-sports-ditch-alcohol-sponsorship

 

 Posted by Peter Cutforth