Adam Zampa throws support behind Pat Cummins amid ‘sportswashing’ controversy

Adam Zampa has weighed in after teammate Pat Cummins expressed his concerns about cricket’s partnership with energy companies.

Adam Zampa of Australia. Photo by Michael Steele-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

Australian cricketer Adam Zampa has praised teammate Pat Cummins for starting a conversation on climate change, calling for more collaboration between players and Cricket Australia sponsors in the future.

On Tuesday, The Age revealed that Cummins spoke to CA chief executive Nick Hockley about Alinta Energy’s parent company, Pioneer Sail Holdings, which has been listed as one of Australia’s highest carbon emitters.

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CA recently extended its partnership with the energy company through to June 2023, but announced it was re-entering the market for Australian men’s team sponsors.

“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,” CA confirmed in a statement.

Cummins denied he pressured CA into ending the partnership, which is worth almost $40 million, but confirmed he spoke to Hockley about his concerns.

“You’ve seen certain players make decisions based on religions or maybe certain foods they eat, they won’t partner with specific partners,” Cummins told reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday.

“But we really thank all our partners for everything they do for Cricket Australia and for grassroots supporting the game, and we know our responsibilities. We try and do our best.

“And not just us players, every organisation has a responsibility to do what’s right for the sport but also what they think is the right thing for the organisation and a whole society when it moves forward.”

Cummins, who was announced as Australia’s 27th men’s ODI captain on Tuesday morning, also confirmed he would not take part in any Alinta Energy advertising this summer.

Pat Cummins of Australia. Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Speaking to reporters in Sydney on Wednesday, Zampa declared it was fantastic that conversations about environmental and social issues were happening within the sporting industry.

“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,” he said.

“I think there’s got to be a collaborative approach between the players and CA and sponsors.

“The information is there, we can all make slight changes to improve how we view climate change.”

Zampa, a practising vegan, demonstrated his green lifestyle earlier this year by taking cameras on a tour of his environmentally conscious Byron Bay property, which was sponsored by Alinta.

“I live a certain lifestyle myself that I try and keep my ethics in mind in every decision that I make,” he said.

“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.

“As I said, I try and make really conscious choices about what I put into my body, where I buy things from, what materials are sustainable for the planet.”

Last week, the International Cricket Council announced that Saudi Arabian company Aramco, one of the world’s largest oil exporters, would be the naming rights sponsorship partner for all major men’s and women’s ICC events until the end of 2023.

In a joint statement, the two parties claimed the agreement “reflects a shared focus on sustainability and innovation”.

Aramco, which gained record profits this year as oil prices surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, already has commercial deals with the Indian Premier League, Formula 1, and women’s golf.

Saudi Arabia’s expanding sports portfolio, which also includes the purchase of English Premier League club Newcastle United and the breakaway LIV Golf tour, has drawn accusations of “sportswashing”, or using high-profile events to distract from human rights concerns.

Cummins, an outspoken advocate for sustainability and climate repair, distanced himself from the partnership when questioned by reporters.

“It’s obviously far away from the decisions us players make. It’s an ICC decision,” he said.

“The players are fairly arms reach away from their decision-making. It’s fine.”

When asked if he would be comfortable receiving a player of the match award covered in Aramco logos, Zampa responded: “We don’t live in a perfect world.

“The fact that there is some conversation starting already, it’s going to be a steep learning curve for everyone.

“Hopefully I get the man of the match award at some stage though.”

The ICC will not sanction players who elect to miss the player of the match award presentations if it goes against their own beliefs, AAP reported.

Adam Zampa of Australia. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Cummins has been accused of hypocrisy since his boycott was made public, with some pundits calling for the 29-year-old to focus his attention purely on cricket.

But Zampa argued that as role models, professional athletes should be encouraged to express personal opinions about on social and environmental causes.

“I don’t think we necessarily just stick to playing, I think a collaborative approach is important,” he explained.

“I do understand that money is important, we’re part of a business, we are the face of that as well.

“I think Pat’s a really great face for us as well.

“The world’s changing, the world of business and sport is also changing.”

Australia will face New Zealand at the SCG on Saturday evening for their opening match of the T20 World Cup, with the first ball scheduled for 6pm AEDT.

Zampa was Australia’s highest wicket-taker during last year’s triumph in the United Arab Emirates, claiming 13 scalps at 12.07 in seven matches.