{"id":82,"date":"2018-10-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gbc.ng\/scottish-womens-football-will-reject-alcohol-or-gambling-sponsors\/"},"modified":"2018-10-03T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-10-03T00:00:00","slug":"scottish-womens-football-will-reject-alcohol-or-gambling-sponsors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gbc.ng\/index.php\/scottish-womens-football-will-reject-alcohol-or-gambling-sponsors\/","title":{"rendered":"SCOTTISH WOMEN\u2019S FOOTBALL \u2018WILL REJECT ALCOHOL OR GAMBLING SPONSORS\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scottish women\u2019s football will never accept sponsorship deals with alcohol or gambling companies, says the organisation\u2019s chair Vivienne MacLaren.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All three main domestic competitions in the senior men\u2019s game in Scotland are sponsored by betting companies.<\/p>\n

But MacLaren says Scottish Women\u2019s Football (SWF) has a duty to only associate with \u201cpositive\u201d brands.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver 80% of our members who play football are in youth teams and are under 18,\u201d MacLaren told\u00a0BBC Scotland.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI understand why, in the men\u2019s game and other sports, it fits very well with what they are trying to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, for us, it is very much family-orientated. Even in our senior teams, there are many players who are under 18.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know it is a minority of people with issues around alcohol and gambling, but they are still serious issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want wee girls playing football to have positive role models and a bit of a cleaner view of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Scotland\u2019s national team qualifying for the Women\u2019s World Cup for the first time, SWF have had overtures from companies keen to get involved in the women\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

But MacLaren insists the grassroots body will not change their stance.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a very hard line from us and, yes, we might be missing out on money from these areas,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we wouldn\u2019t feel comfortable because our approach is very much about well-being and mental health. I think we can get income from other brands.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are looking at it from a lifestyle perspective. What is that combines to give girls a good start and a stable life? It is about diet, about mental health and about sport and exercise.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is\u00a0Women and Girls in Sport Week<\/strong>\u00a0and we are trying to encourage more people to get into sport. We are looking for positive lifestyle choices.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scotland topped their qualifying group for next summer\u2019s World Cup in France, having reached their first major tournament at last year\u2019s European Championship finals.<\/p>\n

MacLaren believes Shelley Kerr\u2019s team \u201ccan go all the way\u201d, with the whole squad able to train full-time from January with financial support from the Scottish Government for home-based players.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the most exciting squad we\u2019ve ever had in Scotland,\u201d she added. \u201cI think Shelley is a wonderful manager \u2013 and her backroom team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think, with the talent we have got, we can go all the way. I am confident about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scotland will discover who they will face in France when the draw for the tournament takes place on 8 December.<\/p>\n

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