Sports & Tobacco

Question of the Month
March 2002

This month, we're going to explore how the tobacco industry uses sports to push its products. This is a timely topic as the theme of this year's World No Tobacco Day (May 31st) is "Sports and Tobacco"
http://tobacco.who.int/page.cfm?pid=63.

The examples that you collect will also be very useful for GPTC groups in Minnesota, USA that are preparing for a large tobacco-free international soccer tournament in July. The event draws 700-800 youth soccer teams from around the U.S. and world to compete. 200,000 people are expected to attend. Minnesotan groups invite you to assist them in using the event to highlight international "sports and tobacco" issues and giving attendees the opportunity to take action!

Question: What ties does the tobacco industry have to sports, sporting associations, and athletes in your country? Cite any and all examples of the use of sports to promote tobacco products, boost the tobacco industry's public image, and/or prevent tobacco control legislation. Please send photos, as available. In particular, we need soccer ("football" outside the USA) - related examples!

As usual, pose this question to your partner and share your answers with Essential Action.

To start you off, here are some examples below which were shared by GPTC participants in December 2001.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSES

RUGBY (USA - WA)
Our local college, Western Washington University, has a rugby team which until fairly recently was sponsored by US Smokeless Tobacco Co. Team T-shirts with the rooster tobacco mascot with the very appropriate phrase "Get Foul" (sic), not "Fowl".
Email: Chris Covert-Bowlds [email protected]

FORMULA 1 CAR RACING (Hungary)
Hungarian Formula 1 race still carries huge amount of tobacco sponsorship. The law introducing a total ban of direct and indirect tobacco advertising in Hungary, following some international examples, also allows advertising of Marlboro (the main sponsor of the race) around the event. Some examples of Hungarian ads related to sporting events could be found at http://health21.hungary.globalink.org (go into the ad library)
Email: Tibor Szilagyi [email protected]

CAR RACING (USA - NH)
New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, NH has heavy tobacco advertising, especially Winston because of the Winston Cup Races.
Email: Mary Cook [email protected]

For more examples see the "Kicking Big Tobacco Out of Sports" partnership action idea at

Essential Action
Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
P.O. Box 19405 ~ Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +1 202-387-8030 ~ Fax: +1 202-234-5176
Email: [email protected]
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco