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Study reveals drink problems behind sport

18/11/2008

The University of Manchester has urged sports stars to sever links with alcohol companies over fears for their health.

It found greater risk of hazardous drinking among sportspeople who were sponsored by an alcohol company.

Of the 1,300 sportspeople interviewed by the university and counterparts in Australia, more than half were sponsored by an alcohol related company.

Deals ranged from financial incentives to assurances the sports person would only drink a particular brand to celebrate a performance.

Study author Dr Kerry O'Brien, who is based in Manchester's School of Psychological Sciences, said: "Sportspeople receiving direct alcohol-industry sponsorship of any kind … reported more hazardous drinking than those not receiving sponsorship."

Alcohol accounts for 9.2 per cent of diseases in developed countries and is associated with risky behaviour, she added.

One of the most high profile alcohol cases was the court appearance of former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick.

He was jailed last month for a drunk-driving incident in which two boys died.