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| Petition: |
Stop BAT - Declare 8th All African Games Tobacco-FreeInternational Petitions for Tobacco Control - Globalink. Learn more
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| Target: |
COJA, International Olympic Committee
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| Context: |
The 8th All African Games has been scheduled to hold in Abuja, Nigeria from October 4th to 18th. The game will draw participants from 53 African countries. About 6,000 athletes are expected to be competing in 22 sports. It will be covered by 1,500 journalists and as such a huge media event. Big businesses are already jostling for sponsorship space not only during the events but the ancillary social and cultural events. Till now there is no concrete evidence that the British American Tobacco (BAT) the biggest tobacco concern in the country has secured any sponsorship deal with the game organizers. BAT however, is said to be making plans to distribute free branded materials like T- Shirts, Face caps or possibly cigarettes during the social and cultural events. The organizers have also not come out publicly to declare the event tobacco free.
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| Sponsored by: | Environmental Rights Action / Friends of the Earth Nigeria
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Dr. Amos Adamu,
Executive Director/CEO
COJA
International Olympic Committee
Ch�teau de Vidy
1007 Lausanne
Switzerland
Dear Dr. Adamu,
From October 4th to 18th, Nigeria's Capital, Abuja will be hosting the 8th All African Games. The game also referred to, as "Abuja 2003" will draw participants from 53 African countries. About 6,000 athletes are expected to be competing in 22 sports. The game will feature, 200 officials while 2,000 VIPs have been invited from across the globe. It will be covered by 1,500 journalists and as such a huge media event.
Though there is no evidence that COJA has accepted any sponsorship from the Tobacco Industry, we are worried about reports that the tobacco industry is planning to distribute its branded products and cigarettes during the games and other social events associated with it. We are also concerned that COJA has not come out publicly to declare the 8th All African Games Tobacco Free in line with the practice for international sporting events of this magnitude.
Tobacco is currently the leading cause of preventable deaths killing 4.9 million people annually. This figure is expected to rise to 10 million a year by 2030 with over 70 per cent of the deaths occurring in developing countries. The tobacco industry have been involved in deceptions to recruit youths into tobacco addiction. One of the tactics they have used even in Nigeria was to associate tobacco with sports. They have until recently exploited sporting heroes to market their deadly wares. The truth however, is that tobacco has nothing common with sports. Sports is about health living while tobacco hampers physical fitness and performance. Tobacco kills.
The Olympic movement has been Tobacco Free since the 1980s, the World Cup, UEFA Championships among many other international and regional sporting vents are all tobacco free; from tobacco sponsorship or the use of such events to directly or indirectly promote tobacco.
I join others around the world to urge you to use your good offices to openly declare the 8th All African Games Tobacco Free, reject any offer of sponsorship from the tobacco industry, prohibit the distribution of cigarettes and tobacco branded products during the games or social events associated with the games and the use of the games to promote tobacco free lifestyle among athletes and African Youths. |
| Started on: |
2003-09-16 |
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