Sportsbet drug cheat ad banned by Aussie advertising watchdog
Advertising Standards Board rules Ben Johnson “roid” references makes light of performance enhancing drugs
Sportsbet’s latest TV ad featuring drug cheat Ben Johnson has been banned by the Australian Advertising Standards Board (ASB) for “[making] light of the use of performance enhancing drugs”.
The ASB said the ad’s depiction of performance enhancing drug use in sport opposed community standards on health and safety and breached Section 2.6 of the AANA Code of Ethics.
The featured line: “Sportsbet’s new jacked up, feature-injected Android App, puts the “roid” in Android,” was considered a direct reference to drug use contrary to the Code.
Sportsbet dismissed the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority’s (ASADA) complaints that the TV advert was inappropriate and glorified drug use, arguing instead that it was “injecting some humour into advertising”.
The Australian brand said the advertisement mocked Johnson and other featured drug cheats and was in no way in breach of the code.
However, the Board ruled that the overall tone of the advertisement made light of the matter.
Sportsbet took the ad off air on 2 June and confirmed it would be modified in accordance with the complaints.
The brand said it did not condone or encourage the use of performance enhancing drugs.