Three major sports spurn Australian government anti-alcohol sports campaign
There has been a mixed response to the Australian federal government’s announcement of a $25 million incentive for sporting codes to end their alcohol sponsorship agreements.
While twelve organisations have signed up to the federal government’s ‘Be the Influence’ anti-alcohol campaign, Australia’s three major sports leagues – the AFL, NRL and Cricket Australia – have not joined the initiative.
The NRL has a sponsorship agreement with Foster’s and Diageo, which promotes Bundaberg rum. Cricket Australia has a long-standing deal with Victoria Bitter. The AFL also recently extended for ten years its contract with Carlton United Brewers, which includes Australian iconic brands such as Foster’s Victoria Bitter (VB).
Federal Sports Minister Kate Lundy was conciliatory and acknowledged the initiatives of the three major codes against binge drinking.
The twelve major sporting organisations that have joined ‘Be the Influence’ include basketball, cycling, hockey, netball, and soccer. They will share the $25 million which, according to the federal government, will come from tax revenues on alcopops.
