Soccer: Dispute over display of logo

An Australian A-League soccer team has been ordered to remove its sponsor's logo from its jerseys before coming to New Zealand.

The Newcastle Jets' playing kit features advertising from Australian betting agency Centrebet, but in New Zealand, it is illegal to advertise overseas gambling.

The Jets have informed the Department of Internal Affairs that the logo will be gone when the team returns in January to play the Wellington Phoenix, however the ads will remain in place for this Sunday's match in Wellington.

Mike Hill, the director of gambling compliance for Internal Affairs, said the Jets were unaware of the law and do not have enough time to get new logo-free jerseys before the weekend game.

That could put broadcasters covering the match in a difficult position but Hill said they will have a defence under the Gambling Act if the promotion of the betting agency is incidental to the coverage of the game.

- NEWSTALK ZB