The Health Ministry has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to implement measures aimed at curbing surrogate advertising of tobacco and alcohol products by sportspersons.
In a letter to BCCI President, Roger Binny, and Director General of SAI, Sandip Pradhan, Dr. Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), emphasised that sportspersons, particularly cricketers, serve as role models for encouraging a healthy, active, and productive lifestyle among the youth.
Reports quoted Goel saying, “The BCCI is entrusted with objectives of laying down policies, roadmap, guidelines for promotion of the game of cricket (and its governance) keeping in mind the players and cricket fans of India…and it is disheartening to see surrogate advertisements of tobacco and/or alcohol related products by some of the well-known cricketers and also famous actors during cricketing events such as IPL.”
“Taking a considerate view of the issue, the BCCI may take positive measures to prevent these surrogate advertisement of tobacco and/ or alcohol related products by sportspersons,” he added.
The DGHS has proposed several measures to address tobacco promotion in sports. These include requiring the signing of an anti-tobacco ‘Declaration of Interest’ form, prohibiting promotions or advertisements in stadiums or events hosted or partnered by BCCI, and issuing directives to sportspersons under BCCI’s purview to avoid surrogate promotions, partnerships, or advertisements involving tobacco and related products.
“Also, it is hereby requested not to allow such surrogate advertisements by other celebrities in sporting events of BCCI, such as the IPL. I hope you will appreciate that celebrities engaging in these surrogate advertisements are followed as role models by millions of youth not only within the country but across the world,” Goel said.
Such measures shall not only help in reducing tobacco consumption, particularly among the youth, but also strengthen the image of sportspersons as advocates of health and fitness. Additionally, they will uphold the highest standards of integrity and responsibility in sports, he emphasised.
The DGHS highlighted that tobacco use is a shared risk factor across the four primary categories of non-communicable diseases: cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, and diabetes.
