Sports chiefs warn against alcohol sponsorship ban

Ireland’s ability to compete on the international sporting stage will be “destroyed” if the Government proceeds with plans to ban alcohol companies from sponsoring major sporting events.

So said Kieran Mulvey, chairman of the Irish Sports Council, at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications yesterday while stressing that he was speaking in a personal capacity.

The same committee is currently assembling a report based on reported plans by Junior Minister Alex White and the Department of Health to phase out all links between high-profile sporting events and alcohol brands by 2020.