The incident involving Australian cricketer David Warner "will stir fresh debate about the relationship between cricket and alcohol sponsorship in Australia," less than a year after a dozen sports agreed to campaign against binge drinking rather than accept money from breweries, according to Richard Hobson of the LONDON TIMES. Organizing bodies for swimming, football and basketball "were among those who agreed to a government initiative in exchange for funding," but the three biggest sports in the country -- Cricket Australia, rugby league and Australian rules football -- "did not sign up." Although Sports Minister Kate Lundy noted that CA had a responsible drinking message, the latest bad publicity brought on by alcohol "will give fresh focus to the issue" some five years after former Australian bowler Mike Whitney predicted alcohol sponsorship would “go the same way as cigarettes.” In '07, a study at the University of Wollongong found “alcohol sponsorship is pervasive in Australian cricket and exposure to alcohol sponsorship is inescapable for people who watch the sport, many of whom would be under the legal drinking age” (LONDON TIMES, 6/13).
