Opposition goes up in smoke
NZC: India will play on with tobacco logo
Posted: Monday January 11, 1999 12:14 PM
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) -- India's cricket team will be allowed to continue playing with a tobacco company name on their uniform, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said Monday.
Associate Health minister Tariki John Delamere said Sunday he believed the "Wills" logo was a breach of the country's laws banning tobacco advertising and sponsorship.
He expected the logo to be removed before the limited overs match between India and New Zealand on Tuesday. "My job is to ensure the law is complied with," Delamere said.
But NZC said it has accepted the Indian Cricket Board's explanation that the logo is not that of the Wills tobacco company.
"It's a different logo from that carried by the [Wills] tobacco company. The logo is from Wills Sport of India, which supplies bats, gear and sports equipment," NZ Cricket spokeswoman Michelle Lewis said Monday.
"We have told that to the ministry [of Health] and also noted that other countries with similar [anti-tobacco] legislation have accepted the Indian Cricket Board's position on the Wills logo. We expect they will play with the logo on their sleeves tomorrow."
NZC was not aware the logo had been covered up by Pakistan during its tour of Australia two years ago. Australia has similar tobacco advertising and sponsorship controls.
Delamere said NZC could also be breaching the law by failing to take action to have the logo covered up.
While he was waiting for details of his ministry's investigation of the issue, Delamere dismissed claims the logo was for a subsidiary sports goods supply company.
"I admire their [tobacco companies'] ability to find innovative ways to get around tobacco legislation throughout the world," Delamere said.
Ministry senior analyst Matthew Allen said he's taking legal advice "looking at the links between the companies and whether this brand promotes tobacco products."
He said the sports supply company was a subsidiary of Wills tobacco.
Once the ministry had determined the legal position over the logo it would "expect to move [the issue] through pretty quickly."
It might also need to have further discussion with NZC before taking a decision, prior to the start of Tuesday's match.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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