www.theadvocate.org.au
THE ADVOCATE 21
The prominent yet dangerous role of alcohol at major sporting events
A
GEORGIA FRANC
s a proud sporting nation, it’s embedded within Aussie culture to crack open a cold one with a few mates whilst watching the AFL Grand Final or indulging in a glass of champagne over the races, however the role alcohol plays in these events has shown to cause potential harms for the community. In 2013, VicHealth released a report stating that the only places where Australians do not think it is suitable to drink at is church, baby showers, and study groups. The findings portrayed that 67 percent of young Victorians (aged 16-29 years old) drink at levels that put them at risk of injury from a single drinking occasion. When compared with older Victorians (aged 30 years and above), only 17 percent of young Victorians thought it was acceptable to be drunk at barbecues at home versus 35 percent of older Victorians. Regarding being drunk at sporting events, 14 percent of young Victorians thought it was acceptable to be drunk in these environments in comparison to 32 percent of older Victorians. These findings suggest that older Victorians seek comfort in drinking within the comforts of their own homes and pairing this with the recently eased COVID-19 lockdown, the role of alcohol within the home has played an increasingly central role. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, the 2020 Victorian sporting calendar has seen drastic changes from the Formula 1 Grand Prix being cancelled, to the Melbourne Cup not allowing spectators, to the AFL Grand Final being held in Queensland for the first time in 123 years. As a result, Victorians have watched these events live from home, drinking among their loved ones instead of gathering with friends either at the events in person or at other friends’ houses. Whilst there is an element of fun and excitement in having a drink or two while cheering on a sporting match, there is no denying the problematic relationship between alcohol and sport in Australia. Addiction treatment centre Turning Point and VicHealth released a joint report in 2011 outlining the alcohol-induced harms occurring at major sporting events, with significantly elevated case numbers of acute alcohol alcohol intoxication found
on on the days of Melbourne Cup and the AFL Grand Final. The study outlined that there was a significant increase in motor vehicle accidents among youth on the day of the Melbourne Cup, AFL Grand Final and Formula 1 Grand Prix. There was also an increase in alcohol intoxication related ambulance attendances among youth on the day of the Melbourne Cup. The findings also portrayed that there were significant increases in the levels of assaults and family incidents on the days of Melbourne Cup, Formula 1 Grand Prix, AFL Grand Final and international cricket matches. The Melbourne Cup specifically saw an increase in assaults both in the lead up to the event and on the day of the event, whilst the day preceding the AFL Grand Final and Formula 1 Grand Prix saw elevated assaults for all groups examined except females. Throughout these major sporting events alcohol advertising and sponsorship is extremely prevalent, normalising individuals to drink to get drunk and then engage in risky behaviours as a result. Although alcohol will never be banned at these events despite the spike of alcohol-induced harms that occur, organisations such as Turning Point and VicHealth continue to target the prevention, intervention and treatment to reduce the extent of these harms within the community.
Sport legends call on Australian Gov’t to accept NZ’s offer to resettle refugees Peter Siddle launches Pink Stumps Day IMAGE: McGrath Foundation.
Cathy Freeman Foundation
Study shows no reason for whips in racing
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Peter Siddle launches Pink Stumps Day ahead of summer of cricket
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HORSE RACING
RSPCA Australia
SPCA Australia has welcomed a new study that calls into question the use of whips in horse racing, and strengthens the case for whip-free racing. The peer-reviewed study – published late in October in the journal Animals – effectively debunks traditional arguments by the racing industry, that the whip is needed to maintain “racing integrity” – ensuring every horse has a fair chance of winning – and the safety of riders by helping with steering. The study of 1,178 starters from 126 races compared stewards reports from
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Amnesty International Australia
59 “whipping-permitted” and 67 “whipping-free” races in the UK, and found no link between the use of whips and fairness or safety in the race. Specifically, the study compared races that took place over a similar time period, at the same racecourse, the same distance, with the same number of horses, and similar track conditions – meaning the only significant difference was whether or not the whip was used. For “whipping-free” races, the study examined the “Hands and Heels” series, a series of races for apprentice jockeys where whips cannot be used except to get a reluc-
ormer Australian fast bowler and Tasmanian Tigers recruit, Peter Siddle, was at Lindisfarne Cricket Club in September to officially launch the McGrath Foundation’s summer community fundraising initiative, Pink Stumps Day. Pink Stumps Day is one of many initiatives for the upcoming cricket season at community level, with most competitions commencing in September, October and November around the country. Last year, 360 cricket clubs made up more than 600 teams who took part in Pink Stumps Day, raising $682,000. Recently appointed as the official Pink Stumps Day 2020/21 Ambassador through the longstanding partnership between Cricket Australia and the McGrath Foundation, Siddle called on people across Australia to register a cricket game this summer to support people with breast cancer. “With 55 people diagnosed with breast cancer every day, Pink Stumps Day plays an integral role in raising funds for McGrath Breast Care Nurses who provide vital support to people with breast cancer and their families for free. This year with COVID-19 stopping many of the Foundation’s fundraising events the campaign is more important than ever,” Siddle said. While the official Pink Stumps Day isn’t until Saturday, 6 February, people can hold an event at any time by registering at: www.pinkstumpsday.com.au
tant horse moving at the start of the race, or for safety reasons. “The study has given us a chance to test a really culturally entrenched assumption about whip use in racing,” lead researcher, Dr Kirrilly Thompson from the University of South Australia, said. “There’s an assumption that whipping horses is important for the safety of riders. There’s also a belief that whipping horses makes them go faster. But no one’s actually tested these things before,” Dr Thompson said. “We found that whipping doesn’t work, and in particular, whipping doesn’t make horses run any faster. There were no significant differences between movement on course, interference on course, incidents related to jockey behaviour, or race
ormer All Black and NRL superstar, Sonny Bill Williams, and former Socceroo, Craig Foster (pictured above), have joined forces to call on the Australian Government to finally accept the offer made by New Zealand in 2013 to resettle refugees stuck on Papua New Guinea and Nauru. As more than 65,000 signatures from the #GameOver campaign to get refugees stuck offshore to safety were handed over to two Parliamentarians, Craig Foster said: “We’ve come to Canberra to call on the Australian Government to finally accept the New Zealand offer to resettle 150 refugees a year. There are still just under 300 people stranded on PNG and Nauru and as the deal with the US is about to come to an end it is more urgent than ever we get these refugees to safety as soon as possible. “Australians across the country have been asking for this for many years. The mental and physical anguish these people have suffered has been terrible and it’s time for the Australian Government to do the right thing and accept the New Zealand offer.” Sonny Bill Williams said: “New Zealand has a proud resettlement history. Since the Second World War it has resettled over 35,000 refugees. This is not about politics, this is about a few hundred refugees who have suffered for too long and who are in need of a solution. New Zealand has offered to provide that solution, Australia should accept.””
finishing times. We can’t find anything to recommend the use of whips,” she said. RSPCA Australia Chief Scientist, Dr Bidda Jones, said there was no good reason to defend the use of the whip in horse racing. “We know that the public no longer supports whipping horses – for example, a recent poll found 69% of Victorians think horses should not be whipped in the normal course of a race, and 71% of Victorians who attend or bet on horse racing would continue to do so if whips were banned,” Dr Jones said. Racing Australia rules currently allow a horse to be whipped five times prior to the final stage of a race, and then an unlimited number of times during the last 100 metres.
