Greenpeace slams TotalEnergies' sponsorship of Rugby World Cup in France as 'sports-washing'

With the release of a shock video in which the iconic Stade de France is drowned under a tide of crude oil, the international environmental association Greenpeace has denounced the sponsorship of fossil fuels in the world of sport. 

Following the release of a video in which the Stade de France is drowned under a tide of oil, Greenpeace is denouncing the sponsorship of fossil fuels in the world of sport ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. © Greenpeace

Entitled "Total Energies: The dirty game of fossil fuels" the video aimed specifically at the French oil giant is intended to denounce the sponsorship of major fossil fuel companies at major sporting events such as the upcoming 2023 Rugby World Cup.

According to Greenpeace, the aim of their sponsorship is to improve their image worldwide – a marketing tactic also known as "sports-washing". 

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In the video, Greenpeace asserts, "These multinationals produce the equivalent of a stadium full of oil every 3 hours and 37 minutes, making our planet uninhabitable," which features the stadium that will host the opening match between France and New Zealand on 8 September, as well as the World Cup final.

French comedian and radio commentator Guillaume Meurice drives the message home by providing the voice-over for the clip.

A Greenpeace video depicts the Stade de France under a tide of oil, to denounce the 'sports-washing' of the fossil fuel industry in world sporting events.

Threat of legal action

Greenpeace says they have received a letter from the organisers of 2023 Rugby World Cup asking them to take down the video or face legal action.

The NGO has replied on X (formerly Twitter): "It is @TotalEnergies that is endangering the reputation of the #RWC2023, not us."

TotalEnergies is one of the competition's official sponsors, however, it is not one of the "major partners" listed on the tournament's official website – unlike Société Générale, Mastercard, Capgemini, Emirates and Defender.

In 2019, TotalEnergie was a candidate to sponsor the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

However, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, expressed her concerns in a letter to the Olympic Organising Committee.

Without naming the company, she reiterated Paris's commitment to "ensuring that this project is exemplary in environmental terms".

TotalEnergies' marketing campaigns will be absent from next year's Olympic Games.