Todd's marketing role damaged, says promoter

Brent Todd denies any association with drugs.

Former Kiwis rugby league star and television star Brent Todd's role as a marketable personality may have been badly affected, says a promoter.

Yesterday Todd, who played 28 tests for the Kiwis, admitted he was one of the two sporting celebrities named in court documents after police said they had broken a white collar drug dealing ring in Auckland last month.

Todd lives in Australia and has not been charged although police said he would probably be charged with drugs offences when he returned to New Zealand. He has denied any involvement.

Today a sports promoter who managed one of rugby's greater superstars, Jonah Lomu, said even if Todd was cleared, "shit sticks" and he would have trouble attracting corporate support.

Phil Kingsley Jones said corporations were run by conservative people who wanted anyone they used for corporate or promotional events to be "squeaky clean".

Mr Kingsley Jones said he insisted anyone he was involved with kept their noses clean.

"Anybody that has got that sort of mud thrown at them is going to find it pretty difficult," he said. "Brent has had a lot of bad publicity lately whether it is true or not."

He said people would run scared about getting involved with Todd now that he had been linked with drugs offences, even though he had not been charged and nothing had been proven.

In a memorandum filed to Auckland District Court yesterday, Todd said through his lawyer he wanted it known "that he has not bought, sold or supplied prohibited drugs".

His lawyer told the court there had been a lot of speculation about the two sporting celebrities linked with the drugs charges and Todd wanted to "clear the air".

Name suppression continued for the other sporting celebrity but police said he was also overseas and would probably be charged when he returned.

- NZPA