Press Release:
CDC
Highlights
Tobacco-Free
Sports
at
Winter
Olympics
CDC
Highlights
Tobacco-Free
Sports
at
Winter
Olympics
Salt
Lake
City,
UT
The
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention
(CDC)
is
launching
the
new
Tobacco-Free
Sports
public
education
campaign
at
the
2002
Olympic
and
Paralympic
Winter
Games
to
publicize
the
tobacco-free
policy
at
the
games,
and
promote
the
health
benefits
of
an
active
tobacco
smoke-free
lifestyle.
"The
United
States
is
proud
to
host
these
tobacco-free
Olympic
Games,"
said
Tommy
G.
Thompson,
U.S.
Secretary
of
Health
and
Human
Services.
"I
cannot
think
of
a
better
platform
to
encourage
our
nations
youth
to
make
important
health
decisions
related
to
tobacco
use,
physical
activity,
and
good
nutrition."
Smoking
and
use
of
other
tobacco
products
is
not
permitted
at
any
Olympic
venue
during
the
2002
Olympic
and
Paralympic
Winter
Games
except
in
specific
designated
outdoor
areas.
The
tobacco-free
policy
covers
any
enclosed
place
of
public
access,
indoor
venues,
seating
bowls
at
outdoor
venues,
enclosed
bars
or
restaurants
at
venues,
living
quarters,
other
enclosed
places
in
the
Olympic
and
Paralympic
Villages,
and
any
Olympic
transport
vehicles.
No
tobacco
products
can
be
sold
at
any
Olympic
or
Paralympic
designated
sites.
"Sports
and
physical
activity
are
deeply
incompatible
with
smoking,"
said
Dr.
Jaques
Rogge,
President
of
the
IOC.
"We
also
firmly
believe
that
sport
can
serve
as
an
instrument
of
preventive
education
to
youth
to
avoid
unhealthy
behaviors.
This
is
why
Olympic
Games
have
been
a
smoke-free
event,
in
cooperation
with
the
World
Health
Organization
and
the
organizing
committees."
For
the
Tobacco-Free
Sports
public
education
campaign,
CDC
developed
television
public
service
announcements
featuring
ten
U.S.
Olympic
athletes.
Speedskating
stars
Jennifer
Rodriquez,
Derek
Parra,
and
KC
Boutiette
are
featured
in
the
announcements
in
addition
to
Jean
Racine
and
Darrin
Steele
(bobsled),
Rachel
Steer
(biathlon),
Lea
Ann
Parsley
(skeleton),
and
Pete
Thorndike
(snowboarding).
In
the
PSAs,
the
athletes
endorse
a
smoke-free
healthy
lifestyle
which
they
believe
helped
them
achieve
their
highest
potential.
Paralympians
who
also
expressed
their
support
of
a
smoke-free,
physically
active
lifestyle
include
U.S.
Disabled
Ski
Team
Mono-skiers
Muffy
Davis
and
Chris
Waddell
who
explain
to
young
people
that
tobacco
use
interferes
with
peak
performance.
The
athletes
also
encourage
parents
to
set
good
examples
by
not
smoking.
A
new
Olympic
poster
featuring
U.S.
ski
team
star
Picabo
Street,
USA
Hockey
and
NHL
Dallas
Stars,
Mike
Modano,
Lincoln
DeWitt,
a
member
of
the
skeleton
team,
snowboarder
Rosey
Fletcher,
and
Paralympian
Davis
has
been
printed
as
part
of
the
campaign.
The
TV
spots
and
the
poster
highlight
the
Tobacco-Free
Sports
logo
developed
in
cooperation
with
the
World
Health
Organization
(WHO),
the
International
Olympic
Committee
(IOC),
and
the
FederationInternationale
de
Football
Association
(FIFA).
The
Winter
Games
activities
are
part
of
a
global
Tobacco-Free
Sports
campaign
which
WHO,
CDC,
and
their
international
partners
launched
in
Geneva,
Switzerland,
in
November
2001.
"These
new
education
materials
are
wonderful
resources
because
we
recognize
that
athletes
are
among
the
most
admired
role
models
for
young
people,
who
emulate
the
behaviors
they
witness
in
their
heros,"
said
CDC
Director
Dr.
Jeffrey
P.
Koplan.
The
Salt
Lake
Organizing
Committee
for
the
Olympic
and
Paralympic
Winter
Games
of
2002
(SLOC)
has
agreed
to
run
the
spots
in
the
Olympic
venues
throughout
the
Olympic
Games
which
kicked
off
February
8.
State
health
departments
are
working
with
local
TV
stations
to
air
the
spots.
The
in-school
television
network
Channel
One
is
airing
them
during
February,
and
Web
search
engine
YAHOO
is
featuring
Tobacco-Free
Sports
messages
in
on-line
banner
ads
through
the
month
of
April.
"Salt
Lake
Olympic
Committee's
tobacco-free
policy
was
adopted
in
an
effort
to
protect
athletes,
staff,
spectators,
and
journalists
from
the
harmful
effects
of
tobacco,"
said
Mitt
Romney,
Salt
Lake
Olympic
Committee
President
and
CEO.
"Our
policy
reflects
Olympic
tradition
regarding
the
hosting
of
healthy
sporting
events
that
inspire
people
to
reach
their
full
potential."
"We
are
glad
that
the
Olympic
movement
recognizes
the
dangers
of
using
tobacco
and
exposure
to
secondhand
smoke.
This
policy
not
only
protects
non-smokers
from
exposure
to
secondhand
smoke,
but
also
encourages
smokers
to
quit.
We
congratulate
the
Olympic
Organizers
for
supporting
this
important
public
health
initiative,"
said
Dr.
Gro
Harlem
Brundtland,
Director-General
of
WHO.
A
satellite
feed
of
the
TV
spots
will
occur
on
Monday,
February
11
at
10
a.m.
EST
and
again
at
2
p.m.
EST.
Satellite
feed
information
is
as
follows:
CBAND
KUBAND
Galaxy
4R-C19
Galaxy
11-K14
Location
99%
West
Location
91%
West
Downlink
Frequency
4080
Downlink
Frequency
11980
Horizontal
Down
Vertical
Down
Audio
6.2/6.8
Audio
6.2/6.8
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