Australian Netball Assoc. Bans Oranges. World says: What the Hell is Netball?

Britain has been earning a reputation as the nanny state because its various groups and companies have banned stupid stuff for lame reasons. But Australia is nipping at their heels after Netball Queensland banned oranges at games because it could possibly damage children's teeth.

According to a story in the Brisbane Courier-Mail, this seeminlgy out-of-hand decision has gotten Netball Queensland into a little hot water with the country's citrus growers, which affects 82 different netball associations around the Australian province. The nannies staff are concerned about high levels of oranges and the potential damage it could do.

Never mind the players could get the oranges at home.

"Most of our associations have banned oranges at half-time or are discouraging coaches from offering oranges," an unidentified Netball Queensland spokeswoman told the Courier-Mail.

But the Queensland Citrus Growers is up in arms. They were about to launch a campaign that promoted fruit at sporting events until Netball Queensland gave them a lemon. Now the QCG can't even make lemonade.

"I'd like to see medical research and evidence to prove fruit is unhealthy, particularly fresh citrus," Chris Simpson, a QCG spokesman said. "Citrus and kids' sport had been synonymous for generations."

So Netball Queensland's dietitian Kerry Leech wagged her finger and said it was the acidity, not a lack of health benefits.

"When players come off the court at halftime, they're generally a bit dehydrated and the worst thing for teeth in that environment is acid, because it erodes the enamel," Leech said. "So we're encouraging fluids to re-hydrate at half-time rather than eating half an orange."

Fluids like dihydrous oxide, no doubt.

Looks like Leech has never heard of the perils of dihydrous oxide.

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