Maybe this is taking the "no ciggy ads" thing a bit too far

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

http://speedtv.com/articles/formulaone/auto/21363

French Newspapers Fined for Violating Anti-Tobacco Laws with F1 Coverage
Written by: RACER staff
Paris, France – 12/29/2005

Three French newspapers have been fined for publishing photographs of Formula 1 drivers whose overalls featured tobacco logos.

The newspapers – Le Point, Le Monde and Les Echos – were successfully sued by the Rights of Non-Smokers, a civic activist group, on the grounds that their printing the logos of cigarette companies violated France’s ban on tobacco advertising. A court of minor offenses in Paris fined the newspapers between 800 and 1,000 Euros each for printing the pictures. The newspapers also were ordered to pay 2,750 Euros in damages to the Rights of Non-Smokers group.

The photos in question were from events where F1 drivers and their cars carried cigarette branding, something they do not do in countries where such branding is illegal.

The Spanish government recently said it planned to introduce legislation exempting F1 and MotoGP races from European Union-wide tobacco advertising bans. Hungary is also hoping to introduce similar legislation. But the European Commission has indicated that it will not tolerate such actions and is threatening legal action against countries that do so.

[Lugnut]

1. That's a bit much

In an international sport.