New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry has called on the BCCI and the Sports Authority of India to implement steps to prevent sportspersons from participating in surrogate advertisements for tobacco and alcohol. The ministry highlighted that these athletes are role models for millions of young people, both nationally and globally.
In a letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Roger Binny and the Director General of Sports Authority of India (SAI) Sandip Pradhan, Atul Goel, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), emphasized on Thursday that athletes, particularly cricketers, serve as role models for young people in encouraging a healthy, active, and productive way of life.
Goel expressed his disappointment that some well-known cricketers and famous actors participate in surrogate advertisements for tobacco and alcohol products during cricket events like the IPL. He noted that the BCCI is responsible for establishing policies, roadmaps, and guidelines to promote cricket while considering the interests of players and fans in India. He urged the BCCI to take positive measures to prevent such advertisements by sportspersons.
The DGHS recommended several measures, including having sportspersons sign an anti-tobacco ‘Declaration of Interest’ form, prohibiting promotion or advertisement of tobacco at stadiums or events hosted or partnered by the BCCI, and issuing directives to athletes under the BCCI’s jurisdiction to avoid surrogate promotion, partnerships, or advertisements for tobacco and related products.
Goel also requested that the BCCI prevent other celebrities from participating in surrogate advertisements at sporting events like the IPL. He emphasized that celebrities involved in such promotions are role models for millions of young people worldwide, not just in India.
Implementing these measures, Goel noted, would help reduce tobacco consumption, especially among the youth, and reinforce the image of sportspersons as advocates of health and fitness, maintaining the highest standards of integrity and responsibility in sports. He also highlighted that tobacco use is a common risk factor for the four major groups of non-communicable diseases: cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, and diabetes.
