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Rovers' cola link blasted
From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Wednesday 29th Jan 2003.
BLACKBURN Rovers have defended themselves after a healthy eating watchdog accused the club of compromising education campaigns through its sponsorship link from Coca Cola.
Rovers are among nine Premiership clubs, including Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, that have come under fire from the Food Commission for having deals with fast food and sugary drinks firms.
Rovers' community office manager Anthony Barlow said the community programme at the club did have a minor marketing link with Coca Cola, which was one of the sponsors of the community programme at the club.
He said the company helped fund activities, including soccer schools, which benefited youngsters.
The company puts its name to the soccer schools but the logo did not appear on any literature or equipment the youngsters used.
Annie Seeley, nutritionist and campaigns officer for the Food Commission, said as role models, football clubs should take more responsibility for promoting healthier eating.
She added: "None of the food brands promoted by Premier League clubs and the Football Association should be eaten and drank by footballers in the run-up to a game.
"With rising levels of obesity and diabetes in children, top footballers could be excellent role models for children, demonstrating the link between good diet and good health."
Nick Broad, the Rovers' nutritionist, said the club led the way in England on healthy eating.
He said: "My work centres around the senior squad at Brockhall and the youngsters at the Academy and I doubt whether you could find a more food and health conscious club in the country.
"We have introduced ideas which the England management is now keen to adopt.
"The players, senior and junior, are fully advised and educated on what to eat day-to-day and we start our diet analysis -- promoting wholegrain foods, fish and lean meats, fruit and vegetables -- with kids as young as eight, holding regular meetings with players and their parents."
Nutritionist Tracey Partington, who works in schools promoting healthy eating and at Bangor Street Health Centre in Blackburn, said more control over what foods could be promoted to youngsters should be exercised by the Government's Food Standards Agency.
She said: "With sponsorship, it's always going to be the companies like Mars and Coca-Cola who can afford such huge advertising campaigns -- not fruit and veg suppliers.
"There needs to be a change at the top from the policy makers. The FSA needs to have more control on advertising unhealthy food.
"I can't criticise Blackburn Rovers for taking the money -- they need it to help stay afloat. At least they put something back in." The Food Commission has written to Public Health Minister Hazel Blears asking her to ensure school-linked schemes promoting sport and healthy living do not also promote foods high in fats, sugar and salt.
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