Fossil fuel companies sponsor Australian sports to the tune of $14m-$18m a year, researchers find

The Wallabies ‘represent our country wearing a jersey emblazoned with a fossil fuel company’s name’, the Australian Conservation Foundation says. Photograph: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Fossil fuel companies spend an estimated $14m to $18m a year sponsoring the top tiers of Australian sport, according to a new report.

The study, prepared by Swinburne University researchers for the Australian Conservation Foundation, argues the money could be replaced over time because it represents only 3.5% of sponsorship investment in 14 of Australia’s top sports.