Government Asks BCCI To Take Steps To Prevent Surrogate Tobacco Ads By Sportspersons

The Union Health Ministry has urged the BCCI and the Sports Authority of India to take measures to prevent surrogate advertisements of tobacco and alcohol by sportspersons, saying they are role models for millions of youth not only in the country but across the world. In a letter to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Roger Binny and DG of SAI Sandip Pradhan, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Atul Goel on Thursday said that sportspersons, specially cricketers, are role models for youngsters for promoting a healthy, active and productive lifestyle.

"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," Goel said.

"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 stated.

The DGHS suggested measures such as signing an anti-tobacco 'Declaration of Interest' form, not promote/advertise in stadiums or events hosted or partnered by BCCI and issuing directive(s) to sportspersons under BCCI's ambit to refrain from surrogate promotion/partnership/advertisement of 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