Tobacco Sponsorship and cricket-The Frontier Post [Archive] By Waqar Hussain

(Tuesday December 8, 1992)

Last year, an Australian cricketer was shown in a photograph crushing a packet of- cigarettes. This picture was published in a pamphlet circulated with reference to an anti-smoking Campaign. The minister of sports hailed the idea and announced that his ministry intended to abolish tobacco sponsorship from all the sports within the next couple of years. On the contrary, Australian Board followed the opposite path and fined the player. Here some cricketers followed suit and criticized tobacco sponsorship. For an instance, Imran Khan advocated banning tobacco sponsorship in cricket as it is harmful to health and a major cause of cancer and he is building a cancer hospital. He was ac-knowledge by Justice. Dr. Naseem Hasan Shah, president BCCP. On the other hand Shah.

Rafi, secretary BCCP, disclosed in an interview that a notice will be issued to players who have violated the discipline by criticizing °facial sponsors of Pakistan cricket. The president and secretary of the board issued contradict: tary statements which are not understandable. No doubt, tobacco is very dangerous containing many pathogens; nicotine, volatile and, phenolic bodies tar and nickel. Its smoke increases blood pressure reduces fertility in women and causes cancer. Its glamorized advertisements are very persuasive, especially for the young ones. So it seems justifiable to ban tobacco sponsorship. For a moment, let's assume that tobacco sponsorship is, abolished in cricket. Then what will be the fate of the tournaments and World Series sponsored by tobacco companies. If we sacrifice these events will

we be able to achieve the requisite objectives or not? Surely not, as tobacco companies will start' sponsoring other sports, its advertising jingles will keep on echoing in cinema, TV and radio as usual. The imposition of ban of tobacco sponsorship only on cricket will be a futile exercise. It will only deprive our cricket most prestigious tournaments. The real objectives can only be achieved by eradicating tobacco sponsorship from all the sports and prohibiting its advertisement from display.

WAQAR HUSSAIN,

Lahore.