The Melbourne Cup tops the list as the city's booziest sporting event of the year, a new report says.
The race topped the tables as the worst sporting event for alcohol intoxication and assaults during the day and before the event, according to the VicHealth and Eastern Health Turning Point report titled Drinking cultures and sporting occasions.
The Cup also ranked highest for motor accidents involving men, with the AFL Grand Final and international cricket the worst overall for motor accidents before and during the event.
The research was the first time a direct link had been made between sports and alcohol harm, says one of the report's authors Dr Belinda Lloyd.
"The Melbourne Cup is a great opportunity to catch up with family and friends and enjoy the event," Dr Lloyd said.
"However, it's a problem when alcohol becomes the central focus of the day.
"Whether you're on course for the races or having a barbecue with mates, everyone should be aware of the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption."
The research found there was also a spike in alcohol-related emergency presentations and ambulance call outs the day before the Melbourne Cup as people were drinking more because they had the public holiday to recover.
VicHealth chief executive Jerril Rechter said the results reinforced the need to rethink young people's exposure to alcohol advertising through sports.
"Alcohol is promoted heavily in the lead up to sporting events because, unfortunately, it's engrained in Aussie culture to binge drink on these occasions," Ms Rechter said.
The report records ambulance attendances, hospital emergency presentations, admissions and police data on assaults and traffic incidents in Melbourne from 2000 to 2009.
The researchers looked at the Melbourne Cup, Formula 1 Grand Prix, cricket, AFL, Australian soccer, Commonwealth Games and the World Cup soccer final involving Australia.
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