Labour MP calls for alcohol ad ban at sports events

by Nikki Sandison Brand Republic 07-May-08, 15:25

LONDON - Alcohol ads at sporting events should be banned, according to Labour MP Dr Howard Stoate, who claims they are encouraging teenage binge drinking.

In an article in the Fabian Review's forthcoming health issue the Labour MP for Dartford, who is a practising GP, calls for a complete ban on alcohol ads at sporting events, as has already been done with tobacco.

Drinks industry body, The Portman Group, has arranged to have alcohol sponsors' logos removed from football shirts sold in children's sizes but Stoate argues that this is a hollow gesture when big firms such as Carlsberg still sponsor football teams and rugby and cricket clubs.

Stoate said: "Advertising rules say alcohol products shouldn't be marketed to under 18s. It shouldn't be allowed anywhere near live sports events or sport on TV. We allow leading football teams and players, with their millions of young fans, to be sponsored by drinks firms. How can that possibly be right?"

Stoate said that the crackdown was essential to battle the rise in teenage drinking, which has doubled among 11- to 15-year-olds in England since 1990.

He claims that sports clubs are glamorising alcohol and establishing a link between alcohol and success in sport.

Stoate's plan is being considered by ministers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The Portman Group said that the ban would do nothing to tackle harmful drinking and that there are already strict controls to protect the public from irresponsible advertising and sponsorship.

Comments

Jonathan Godson - 09/05/2008

Fair comment from Michael Stoate but there's more to binge drinking than this. Since the indoor smoking ban I never realised how many people smoke (I now see them out in the streets, doorways etc) and tobacco ads, sponsorship are long gone. What's the next step ban alcohol ads completely? As a headline grabber it's OK and commendable to a certain extent but to tackle it properly you've got to address the reason why people want to binge drink in the first place or smoke or do drugs. The latter two are not advertised in commercial media and drugs are actually illegal so why do so many people decide that's the way to go? This one seems to me just some more Govt sticking plasters for a society and a Govt that has lost its way... On a brighter note it's Friday and the weekend forecast is great...