Plans to ban alcohol sponsorship in sport dropped

Proposals by the Irish government to ban alcohol sponsorship in sport have been dropped.

Plans to introduce measures to allow alcohol sponsorship of sports to be banned have been dropped

As an alternative, the government is expected to put a current voluntary code of conduct dealing with alcohol sponsorship on a constitutional basis and implement other measures in its Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, which is scheduled to be published in the next few weeks.

Sporting organisations and drinks companies have opposed the ban, which would have been subject to the full agreement of the minister for health and the minister for sport.

Last month, the minister for health Leo Varadkar said he would include and “enabling clause” for such a ban.

According to reports by the Irish Times, the minister for transport, tourism and sport Paschal Donohoe and his junior minister Michael Ring vetoed the proposal.

Debate surrounding the plans has been on-going for weeks, but Donohoe and Ring argued no decision should be made until alternative ways of raising the sponsorship money for sports clubs had been found.

The former minister of state, Roisin Shortall, who promoted the ban, accused the British government of putting the interests of businesses before those of public health.

“All evidence shows sponsorship recruits new drinkers,” said Shortall. “At a time when the chief medical officer, the Royal College of Surgeons and the World Health organisation are calling for a ban it shows an incredible lack of political leadership not to support it.”

Measures in the code of conduct placed on a statutory basis include banning alcohol sponsorship of any individuals, teams or competitions where the participants are under 18, or where more than a quarter of the audience – either watching live or on TV – is under 18-years-old.

A spokesman for Donohoe said his “department is on record in the past as saying that it is not in favour of changes being made unless an alternative funding stream is identified, which at this time looks unlikely”.

Last year, retired footballer Gary Lineker condemned the “dangerous” alcohol advertising and sponsorship in sport.