Take preventive measures against tobacco advertisement: Health ministry to BCCI

Union health ministry has written a letter to the BCCI and Sports Authority of India (SAI) on preventive measures against tobacco advertisement. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has urged both the sports authorities to take measures to prevent the ‘surrogate advertisement of tobacco and alcohol related products by sportsman’.

In a letter to BCCI, the DGHS has asked “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. Few suggested measures are signing an anti- tobacco Declaration of Interest form (attached), not promote/advertise in stadiums or events hosted or partnered by BCCI, issuing directive(s) to sportspersons under BCCI’s ambit to refrain from surrogate promotion/partnership/advertisement of tobacco and related products”.

The health body has also requested not to allow such surrogate advertisements by other celebrities in sporting events of BCCI, such as the IPL.

In a separate letter to Sports Authority of India, the DGHS has asked the Sports Authority to prevent direct/indirect (surrogate) advertisement, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco and related products by sportspersons. It has also requested to sign an anti-tobacco Declaration of Interest form and issu directives to sportspersons under SAI’s ambit not to promote tobacco related products.