Editorial: Do booze and sport really mix?

Graham Lowe

Booze and sports is a mix seemingly as old as booze and sports themselves.

But does anyone think it's a good mix?

A ministerial forum chaired by former Kiwis league coach Graham Lowe has told the Government to end alcohol sponsorship of sports clubs and to ban advertising of beer, wine and spirits during televised matches.

Long-term, the panel recommends a ban on alcohol sponsorship of all sport.

These are just some of several recommendations put forward in a report this week.

The report said the forum recognised an association between exposure to alcohol promotions, an earlier age of initiation to drinking alcohol, and increased consumption.

This is a tough one. The goal - to mitigate the social harm of alcohol - is a noble one. But what about the smaller provincial clubs and events that rely on alcohol-related sponsorship?

The forum said it recognises its recommendations would threaten the sustainability of many sporting clubs and events, and further recommends finding ways to reduce reliance on alcohol sponsorship funding.

So one day we could see a complete divorce of sports and alcohol sponsorship, much as we've seen with tobacco sponsorship over the past few decades, but for some it could be a rocky transition.

It can be hard for the majority of adults who drink responsibly to understand what the problem is. The forum says there is "compelling evidence that early initiation to drinking alcohol and increased consumption are predictive of, and associated with, increased experience of alcohol-related harm".

Alcohol advertisers say bans on alcohol promotion are not backed by evidence, but it's not hard to see a potential problem with linking sporting idols, sporting prowess and alcohol consumption in a teenager's eyes.

The sports-alcohol link is obviously not the only problem facing society - I'd rather not see booze ads on the music channels my kids watch, and I wonder about the reliance of community and sports organisations on the proceeds of pokie machines - but it is good to see the progress being made in this area, and it will be interesting to see how the Government responds.