Snell denies he promoted smoking as cool

Peter Snell

Athletics legend Peter Snell says he never endorsed the smoking of cigarettes and admits to smoking a pipe for 10 years.

The triple Olympic gold medallist says that when he worked for Rothmans, he was not employed to get people to start smoking and indeed told them not to smoke.

Dr Snell, 67, who is in Dunedin as the special guest at the national Masters Games, said he could not understand people suing cigarette companies for their ill health.

The estate of Invercargill woman Janice Pou is suing two tobacco companies for causing her lung cancer.

Lawyer David Collins, QC, has said ambassadors such as Peter Snell and All Black Don Clarke endorsed cigarettes and this impressed a young Mrs Pou.

But last night Dr Snell said he was never asked to endorse cigarettes.

"We were employed by them [Rothmans] to do what I thought was some good work and I suppose at that time I naively thought that sounded like good fun," he said.

"We were not told to get people to start smoking.

"We were never put under any pressure to do that."

Dr Snell worked for the Rothmans Sporting Foundation for 12 years from 1962 to 1974, becoming its director in later years.

The foundation sponsored events and gave financial assistance to athletes.

"I remember people from the medical profession at the time were up in arms about it. One doctor said I was prostituting myself."

Dr Snell said that at that time there was nothing else around to help him out.

"This was a sporting foundation which was helping me do what I thought was important. We did coaching clinics, gave talks, organised activities and motivated people.

"I remember telling people not to smoke."

Other famous New Zealand sports people involved in the foundation included cricketer Bert Sutcliffe and Dr Snell's coach, Arthur Lydiard.

Dr Snell admitted to smoking a pipe for about 10 years, starting in the late 1960s.

"I did it because my first wife was a smoker and I decided to smoke a pipe for something different.

"I wish I had not done it, as we know now how bad they are for your health."

He gave up when he met his present wife, Miki.

Dr Snell did not agree with someone suing a tobacco company for causing lung cancer.

"That's like suing McDonald's for eating too much fast-food. I can't agree with it. It's an individual's choice."

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES