The National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) has applauded twelve major national sports for backing action to reduce binge drinking and disassociating themselves from alcohol sponsorship.

A new campaign from the Australian National Preventive Health Agency (ANPHA) launched today by Sports Minister Kate Lundy and Mental Health Minister Mark Butler sees the Federal Government providing funding to twelve sports, including soccer, swimming, athletics and basketball, as part of a program  to reduce binge drinking in young people, and engage leading sports and sports stars to help change Australia’s youth binge drinking culture. The funding comes from the Alcopops tax.

National Alliance for Action on Alcohol Co-Chair and Director of the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth, Professor Mike Daube, said,  “This is the most important step we have seen for decades in combating our youth drinking culture. The government is showing that there are alternatives to alcohol sponsorship, and it is enormously encouraging that so many major sporting bodies are sending out the message loud and clear that binge drinking is unacceptable.”

“We need this kind of action. In modern Australia binge drinking among young people has become the norm.  Eighty per cent of the alcohol consumed by 14-24 year olds is consumed at levels that put the drinker of others at immediate risk.  This needs action, and the first place to start is with the examples being set by governments and sporting bodies.”

NAAA Co-Chair and CEO of the Cancer Council Victoria Mr Todd Harper said, “This starts to break the nexus between alcohol and sport. For too long we have seen alcohol promoted through sport to children.”

“Sportspeople are extremely popular and powerful role models for children. We know that alcohol marketing influences children to start drinking earlier and more in the long term, yet we’ve got sports stars running around like mobile billboards for alcohol brands. This new sponsorship campaign complements the Good Sports program, to which the Government is already committing substantial funding”.

Professor Daube said, “Research shows that there is strong public support for ending alcohol sponsorship in sport if replacement funding is provided.  We congratulate the sports that have chosen to go for health rather than promote alcohol. We urge the remaining sports such as AFL, NRL and cricket to start discussions with the government as to how they too can move away from their present role in exposing children to alcohol promotion.”

 Mr Harper concluded, “This new program will celebrate the healthy nature of sport, but without the alcohol promotion. It would be negligent for the government to sit on its hands. Breaking the connection between sport and alcohol is a vital prevention initiative”.

The National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) consists of 73 member organisations from around Australia, including VicHealth.