Ad Featuring Ben Johnson Sparks Outrage In Australia
A recently released commercial featuring the Jamaican-born Canadian former sprinter Ben Johnson has apparently upset Australia’s Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA).
Johnson set consecutive 100 metres world records at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics and the 1988 Summer Olympics, but he was disqualified for doping, losing the Olympic title and both records.
ASADA claims the advert featuring Johnson is making light of the use of performance-enhancing drugs stating:
“This advert makes light of the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport and sends the completely wrong message that the use of drugs in sport is normal.”
“This advertising campaign belittles the achievements of clean athletes and denigrates those who work to protect clean sport across the world.”
Media statement: Sportsbet advertising campaign: https://t.co/smCqZM28Il pic.twitter.com/Sm64hXOJTi
— ASADA Anti-Doping (@anti_doping) May 15, 2017
Australia’s federal sports minister Greg Hunt also stated that opting to use Johnson was utterly inappropriate, while Independent senator nick Xenophon hopes the country’s media watchdog, the Australian communications and media authority, will take action.
See the ad below:
https://twitter.com/sportsbetcomau/status/864021173134282752?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
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