Australian cricket legend Mitchell Johnson has left his role at ABC Radio over a betting clause in his contract.
The former fast bowler was in line to commentate on One Day International matches in Queensland, starting this weekend, but ABC Radio reportedly does not allow anyone associated with a gambling company to work for it. Johnson, along with former AFL player Brendan Fevola, is used in advertising for Bet Nation, a new sports gambling firm based in Australia.
Johnson has accused ABC of hypocrisy, saying that the Australian Government – which funds the public broadcaster – raises a significant amount of its revenue from taxes on gambling.
ABC covers sports such as cricket, the Australian Football League (AFL), and the National Rugby League (NRL), all of which involve some form of corporate sponsorship from betting firms.