pte20050729045 Bauen/Wohnen

Tobacco ban to effect UK sport, says Walker


London (pte045/29.07.2005/16:07) Sir Rodney Walker, ex-UK Sport chairman, and now chairman of World Snooker, says that the new tobacco sponsorship ban http://www.newsfox.com/pte.mc?pte=050728022 , which comes into force on Sunday, will leave a big gap in British sport.

Tobacco companies had poured more than £100m into British sport, Walker said.

"Over 30 years sports have benefited enormously from tobacco sponsorship. It runs into tens of millions of pounds so of course it will be missed."

Although it will leave a dent in the financial side of sporting events, Walker supports the ban.

"No one can argue with the justification of phasing out tobacco sponsorship," he said.

"All I'm saying is we have to recognise the contribution tobacco companies have made. Without their backing, sports like rugby league and snooker wouldn't be as buoyant and prosperous as they are today.

"The loss of tobacco sponsorship will not create great casualties but every sport will struggle to recoup money lost from tobacco."

Walker predicts that a new genre of sponsorship would fill the void.

"The sector zooming up on us is online gaming companies," he said, "which could prove the future."

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