Australian Football League calls off Brunei sponsorship deal
The Australian Football League (AFL) has called off a controversial sponsorship deal with the state-owned Royal Brunei Airlines, over the introduction of a law to allow gay people to be stoned to death.
The AFL last week said it was “reassessing” a sponsorship deal with Royal Brunei Airlines following a global boycott of the country over a law which allows gay people to be stoned to death.
In April the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah gave approval to Brunei’s revised penal code, which urges death by stoning for same-sex sexual activity.
The Sultan, whose family has governed Brunei for 600 years and whose fortune is estimated at $13 billion (£7.75 billion). Royal Brunei Airlines is owned by the state.
Normally operating services between Sydney and Melbourne and London, the airline had agreed to fly players as part of a sponsorship agreement made in August.
Despite the airline being the official airline of AFL Europe, the league said it was not aware of the anti-gay law when the deal was signed.
