Adam Zampa has strongly supported Pat Cummins’ progressive views on climate change after the Test and one-day captain was wrongly implicated in the loss of Cricket Australia’s $40 million major sponsorship deal with Alinta Energy.
“I’ve obviously got some personal views about some sponsors that we’ve got at the moment, but I think the fact that Pat has started that conversation is great,” Zampa said in Sydney on Wednesday as Australia prepare for their opening Twenty20 World Cup match against New Zealand at the SCG on Saturday.
“I think there’s going to be a collaborative approach between the players and CA and sponsors, but that’s probably all I can really comment.”
The Age and Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Monday that Cummins had raised concerns with CA’s chief executive Nick Hockley over the fact that Alinta’s parent company, Pioneer Sail Holdings, has been listed as one of Australia’s highest carbon emitters.
However, CA insisted that “at no point did any conversation between men’s team captain Pat Cummins and CA CEO Nick Hockley influence Alinta’s decision to finish its sponsorship with Cricket Australia in June 2023.”
Players will continue to wear the Alinta logo on their playing shirts, but Cummins has withdrawn from the Alinta television advertisement this season.
Cricket Australia contracts strongly compel players to support sponsors, although there is a clause that allows exceptions. Usman Khawaja and Fawad Ahmed did not wear alcohol advertising playing for Australia because of their Muslim beliefs.
A number of Australian players have strong views on climate change, with Zampa at the forefront.
“I think we can all make slight changes to improve how we view climate change,” said Zampa, who lives in Byron Bay.
“I live a vegan lifestyle and a lot of that is to do with the ethics around the way we treat animals, that’s originally how it started anyway, and then obviously you get a lot of information around the choices that you make for the earth and what the future looks like for the planet.
Byron Bay-based leg-spinner Adam Zampa.Credit:Getty
“I try and make really conscious choices about what I put into my body, where I buy things, what materials are better sustainability wise for the planet. There’s information out there you can find easily.”
Zampa was also surprised to learn that the International Cricket Council, which runs World Cups, has signed Saudi Arabian state-owned oil company Aramco as a global partner and sponsor of player-of-the-match awards in World Cups, beginning with the men’s T20 event in Australia.
“We don’t we don’t live in a perfect world,” Zampa said. “I think the fact that there are some conversations starting about it already [is good].
“It’s going to be a steep learning curve for everyone,” Zampa added, before joking, “hopefully, I’ll get the man of the match award at some stage.”
Saudi Arabia has been accused of “sportswashing” to divert attention from its dreadful human rights record.
Other Saudi sporting investments include cricket’s biggest league, the IPL, Formula 1, heavyweight boxing, the purchase of EPL club Newcastle United, the Ladies European Golf Tour (LET) and the breakaway LIV Golf tour, which is causing chaos with men’s golf.
Zampa believes that players have the right to express themselves beyond cricket.
“We’re obviously role models,” he said. “I don’t think we necessarily just stick to playing.
“I think a collaborative approach is important. I do understand that money is important and we’re part of a business. We are the face of that as well.
“There’s a lot of stuff up in the air at the moment.”
