10.01.2006

Tobacco axe falls on Australian GP

A total tobacco advertising ban for all sports, including Formula One, fell on Australia on Sunday.

Since 1992, when the original tobacco sponsorship ban came into force in the country, the federal health minister had the power to exempt international events, such as the annual F1 race.

The exemption always applied to the Grand Prix, but from 2007 - with the Melbourne event scheduled to open next year's Formula One calendar - the law now totally forbids the usual display of tobacco logos

at Albert Park.

"So there'll be no more tobacco advertising in the future in Australia in any sporting fixture," Christopher Pyne, parliamentary secretary for health, said in Adelaide.

Source: f1.racing-live.com