Coca-Cola sponsor accused of “sportswashing” by medical camp

This expression refers to a process by which a company or a country uses sport as a means of improving its reputation.

Already criticized on the ecological level, the partnership between Coca-Cola and the Paris Olympic Games is being slammed by public health specialists. They accused the American giant of “sportswashing” on Wednesday, July 7. “By continuing to partner with Coca-Cola, the Olympic movement risks being complicit in the worsening of a global epidemic of poor nutrition, environmental degradation and climate change.”write two researchers, Trish Cotter and Sandra Mullin, in the journal BMJ Global Health.

The article recalls that Coca-Cola sells sugary drinks “with little or no nutritional value”. Sodas are “one of the main drivers” of diseases that are widespread throughout the world, such as obesity and diabetes, the authors point out, calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to sever its ties with Coca-Cola. Contacted by AFP, the American giant did not respond.

Beyond the Olympics, the article from BMJ Global Health highlights Coca-Cola’s particularly prominent place in sports partnerships. No other group has as many, including companies with a sports-related activity, such as Nike. In addition, Coca-Cola uses sports as a means of improving its reputation, even though its products are bad for health, according to the researchers.

Asked at a press conference on Wednesday, the IOC said: “incredibly proud” of the century-old partnership with the brand. In Paris, “They provide a full range of products: water, tea, coffee, juice, soft drinks. So there are a lot of sugar-free options,” said Anne-Sophie Voumard, Director of Marketing Services. Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra had already been criticized at the end of 2023 for publishing photos of herself with Coca-Cola representatives. She had acknowledged an unfortunate choice in terms of image, rejecting any complacency with the group.