These investments aim to improve companies’ brand image, even as calls for stronger climate protection measures grow.
The report criticizes the close links between sport and the fossil fuel industry and describes the sponsorship as misleading to the public. This could hinder global efforts to decarbonize. Motorsport, soccer, cricket, American football and cycling in particular benefit financially from these partnerships.
Motorsport is particularly highlighted, generating the most revenue with $2.19 billion (€1.96 billion) from 40 partnerships with oil and gas companies. Football follows with $994 million (€890.6 million) from 59 contracts. Cricket, American football and cycling together benefited with more than $450 million (€403.2 million).
The report also mentions the involvement of prominent athletes such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, who were “successfully recruited” to spend time in the Middle East as part of sponsorship deals. It also claims that some athletes, including marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, were encouraged to use their social media to support fossil fuel companies.
Andrew SimmsCo-Director of des >> NWIsaid: “Oil companies that are delaying climate action and adding fuel to the global warming fire are using the old script of big tobacco companies and trying to pose as sponsors of sport.
But air pollution from fossil fuels and the extreme weather of a warming world threaten the future of athletes, fans and events from the Winter Olympics to the World Championships. If sport is to have a future, it must free itself from the dirty money of major polluters and stop fueling its own destruction.”
The NWI report makes five recommendations to sports organizations and associations. The suggestions include banning sponsorship by fossil fuel companies, more closely examining companies’ carbon footprints and looking for more sustainable sources of funding.
