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The Olympic game’s up: it’s time for the IOC to stop promoting sugary drinks

Sugary beverages, like fizzy drinks, offer little to no nutritional value and are key drivers of diseases related to nutrition, including obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), high blood pressure and heart disease. Their production also requires immense water usage and creates millions of tons of plastic waste annually, contributing to the climate crisis. Coca-Cola has maintained an almost 100-year contract as the leading sponsor of the Olympic Games. Athletes at the Olympics perform under the banner of companies sponsoring the Olympic Games and as such implicitly endorse an unhealthy sugary beverage, while the companies benefit from an unparalleled advertising opportunity. It’s time for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cut ties with Coca-Cola in the interest of athletes, spectators and the planet.

Published August 6, 2024

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