Remember the days when “virtue signaling” wasn’t a buzzword, and pointing out hypocrisy felt brave, not cynical? Yeah, me neither. But here we are, staring down the double standard in sports: mental health awareness campaigns plastered over alcohol-soaked sponsorships.
Look, I get it. I spent years battling sobriety myself, and back then, blaming the world felt easier than facing my demons. But seeing Aussie sports glorify booze while patting themselves on the back for “RUOK day” just rubs me the wrong way.
Growing up, alcohol wasn’t a regular presence. Yet, every cricket match had Fosters plastered across it, and David Boon’s legendary (questionable) beer consumption became folklore. Football was no different. Young me watched senior players chug beers post-game, a twisted rite of passage into “masculinity.”
But nothing quite compared to Gold Coast surfing. Here, waves and brews were intertwined. Witnessing a world champ’s drunken antics at a party didn’t faze me; “live and let live” was my motto.
Fast forward, and these same athletes become mental health advocates, raising awareness for “RUOK day” or partnering with charities. You know, while simultaneously cashing in on alcohol sponsorships. See Balter. Let’s dissect that for a sec. You get paid to surf, a dream gig many would kill for, and your legacy to young aspiring surfers is… an alcoholic beverage company? Isn’t that like a rockstar launching a cigarette brand? Talk about mixed messages.
The same goes for skateboarding and countless other sports. You can’t wear two hats: the concerned mental health advocate and the booze pusher. Don’t slap “drink responsibly” on an alcohol label while promoting a culture that glorifies overindulgence. It’s not just hypocritical, it’s frankly insulting.
This isn’t about judging personal choices. It’s about calling out the disconnect between image and reality. If sports truly care about mental health, let’s see a genuine shift, not just token campaigns while lining their pockets with alcohol sponsorship money. Otherwise, their “support” rings hollow, a mere marketing ploy instead of a genuine concern.
And hey, maybe I’m still looking for answers, still piecing together the puzzle of my sobriety journey. But one thing’s clear: we can’t have real progress on mental health in sports until we ditch the double standard and get honest about the role alcohol plays in its culture. So, let’s talk, openly and honestly, not with platitudes and “drink responsibly” labels, but with genuine desire for change.
Regarding David Boon’s Beer Consumption:
- Although no official record exists, the story of David Boon drinking 52 cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London is widely circulated. You could mention this without linking but acknowledge its disputed nature.
Mental Health Initiatives in Sports:
- Headspace Australia: https://headspace.org.au/
- Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/
- Beyond Blue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/