Rohit Shishodia                     
The World Health Organization (WHO) has directed countries to ensure ban on promotion of tobacco products in sporting events. The WHO says governments should implement their domestic laws to ban advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products.

“The other actions include penalties applicable under domestic laws and taking prevention measures such as by preventing screening of events that violate domestic laws,” says the UN agency.

The WHO says that government should enforce ban on advertising and sponsorship at sporting events, including hosting or receiving broadcasts of Formula 1 and MotoGP events.

The direction by WHO came after British American Tobacco recently announced a global partnership with Formula 1 team McLaren using the logo “a better tomorrow”. The WHO says this indicates the promotion of tobacco use.

It is well known that promotion of tobacco products takes place across world. This includes the involvement of young people. The WHO points out that advertisement of tobacco products occurs in nations which host sport events and in countries that get transmissions of these events.