Last week, rugby star Sonny Bill Williams caused a kerfuffle by putting sticking plasters on his shirt to block out a sponsor's name when he ran out for the Blues in their match against the Highlanders.
The sponsor was a bank - BNZ - and Williams' Muslim religion does not
allow him to support usury (the loaning of money to make money by charging interest - i.e. what banks do), as well as those involved in gambling and alcohol.
Quite rightly, his "conscientious objection" has been allowed and his religious beliefs respected and this weekend he turned out with a Plunket logo where BNZ had once been.
The fact that Plunket is described as a "core partner" of BNZ, and runs the occasional lucky dip stall and wine-and-cheese evening has, so far, not raised any Islamic hackles.
In an era where sport is all about money and corporations can buy up any field of dreams (and, yes, the support of sponsors is vital to the survival of sport, be it the All Blacks or the local hockey club), it is heartening to see a bit of push back.
