Blue Cross Zurich: No alcohol advertising in sports stadiums
The Blue Cross of the Canton of Zurich wants to ban all alcohol advertising from sports stadiums and sporting events. This advertising ban is primarily intended to protect young people. On Tuesday, the organization launched a cantonal initiative to that end.
Sport and alcohol do not go together, says Stephan Kunz, Managing Director of the Blue Cross of the Canton of Zurich. For him, it is unethical to associate the positive feelings of sport with alcohol. However, beer advertising is very present, especially at football and ice hockey matches.
"We don't prevent people from enjoying themselves," Kunz made clear. Sausages and beer are part and parcel of a visit to the stadium. We do not want to ban the consumption of alcohol in sports facilities. However, advertising for it is not appropriate. The alcohol industry, and beer brewers in particular, invest hundreds of millions of francs in advertising and sports sponsorship every year.
Liquor advertising is already prohibited
There is already a nationwide ban on advertising spirits in sports stadiums and at sporting events in Switzerland. The initiative would extend the advertising ban in the canton of Zurich to all alcoholic beverages.
For the Blue Cross, however, this is just the beginning. In the long term, the
complete ban on alcohol advertising at sporting events should be introduced throughout Switzerland. It is hoped that the Zurich initiative will trigger a chain reaction and pave the way for this, said Kunz. On Wednesday, the helpers of the moderation association - as they call themselves - will begin collecting the 6,000 signatures required.
Sports clubs with financial problems
The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation has reacted with alarm to the impending advertising ban. "This would have drastic consequences for the clubs," said Lukas Hammer, spokesman for the ice hockey association, when asked by the news agency SDA. Many clubs have a beer manufacturer as a sponsor. It would not be so easy to offset such substantial amounts with other sponsors. "Many clubs would have financial problems." The ice hockey association is also not convinced by the content of the initiative. There are probably more effective measures to prevent young people from consuming alcohol.
The Swiss Football League is of the same opinion. "It is questionable whether an advertising ban really helps," said its spokesperson Philipp Guggisberg. There are also many uncertainties. What would happen, for example, if FC Sion, which is sponsored by a wine merchant, came to Zurich? "The players would then probably need a second kit that didn't have their sponsor's logo on it." (SDA)
