SEPTEMBER 19, 2005

Tobacco grip tightens

Austria, Kiribati, Bolivia and Guyana are not hugely important in the overall scheme of things in motorsport, although Austria's Red Bull company is a useful source of funding for a large number of racers. The four countries have, however, recently signed the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and by doing so have raised the number of countries to have ratified the global ban on tobacco sponsorship to 83, which is just one country short of half of the 168 nations that signed the treaty. Each new signatory adds pressure to the big players who have not yet ratified the treaty, notably the United States of America.

The treaty obliges signatories to undertake a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.