Top sports events "could be forced out of Britain or
left impoverished if a Government pledge to outlaw the
sponsorship of sport by cigarette manufactures goes ahead,"
organizers told Murray & Midgley of the LONDON TIMES.
Britain's Health Secretary Frank Dobson said that sports
sponsorship would be affected by draft legislation to "ban
tobacco advertising." He said that a bill would be moved in
the summer but "phased in slowly to allow the sports to find
alternative sponsors." The ban would extend to logos of
tobacco companies "appearing on cars in international motor
racing events." Murray & Midgley add that it is "not clear
how slowly the ban would be phased in" and broadcasters
"were also waiting to see whether the legislation would
prevent coverage in Britain of hundreds of events in
countries where tobacco sponsorship is allowed" (LONDON
TIMES, 5/20). The tobacco industry spends about $12.96M
annually on sports sponsorship in the U.K. (FINANCIAL TIMES,
5/20). Professional rugby, darts, auto racing and cricket
are among the sports that are dependent to "varying degrees"
on money from cigarette companies (WASHINGTON POST, 5/20).
