Indonesian sports addicted to tobacco sponsors

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 04/26/2008 12:01 PM  |  Headlines

Indonesian sports associations are trying to wean themselves off sponsorships from tobacco companies, as the government looks to follow the example of other Asian nations who have banned the practice.

"I agree that ideally, tobacco companies should not sponsor any sporting events. But we can't ban their sponsorship now because we don't have other potential sources of funds," State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs Adhyaksa Dault told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

He said current restrictions for tobacco advertising on broadcasting hours and for junior sports events may be extended to a directive ban in the next five years.

He is supportive of sports associations that try to find non-tobacco sponsors, he said.

The Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI), a main recipient of tobacco sponsorship through its league organization, said it was considering the telecommunications industry as an alternative source of support.

"We are now trying to lobby potential sponsors like telecommunications operators and state-owned companies to be prepared when the government actually bans tobacco sponsorship," said Herman Ago, the PSSI deputy secretary-general for marketing.

The association has a long history with some tobacco brands including Dji Sam Soe, which supported Copa and Djarum in the country's premier league last year.

He said the PSSI was very dependent on tobacco sponsorship because the industry could provide larger amounts of funds than other partner companies.

"I have heard that in the next three or five years the government may ban cigarette companies from sponsoring sports events," he said.

He said many countries had implemented the ban and he expected Indonesia to follow suit.

Since 2003, as many as 154 countries, including Indonesia's neighbors Malaysia and Singapore, have signed the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

The 13th article of the framework says that each signatory shall apply restrictions on all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorships. Indonesia has not signed it.

Hanny Surkatty, an organizing chief of the Proliga national indoor volleyball championship, acknowledged that it was difficult for them to wean themselves off funds provided by tobacco companies.

Mohammad Saleh Aman, a professor of Malaya University, said the government could encourage non-tobacco companies to sponsor sports events by reducing their corporate tax.(ind)

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