TWELVE of the country's leading sporting organisations have agreed to shun alcohol sponsorship, accepting federal government funding instead.

The government is giving sporting organisations, including Swimming Australia, the Football Federation of Australia and Netball Australia, money to encourage them to ditch alcohol promotion.

The government will fund sporting clubs from a $25 million pool. Sport Minister Kate Lundy will announce the grants in Melbourne today but yesterday refused to reveal the other nine sporting codes.

The AFL and the NRL - who stand to lose more than they gain if they dump existing alcohol sponsorship - are not on the list.

"Sport is a really important part of young peoples' lives and it's terrific that our elite athletes have come on board to promote a healthy sporting lifestyle in the lead up to the Olympics," Ms Lundy said.

The funding is part of the government's national binge drinking strategy.

The sports agreed to take the government funding in order to help reduce the exposure of young people to alcohol promotions.

Swimming champ Geoff Huegill backed the move.

"As a nation we love sport. The adverse influence of harmful alcohol consumption, particularly in close association with sport, is something that, together, we can help change," he said.

Huegill said sporting stars should be encouraging healthier attitudes.

"Promoting a message to young people, sporting stars and the community at large to 'be the influence' is a vital step in trying to combat the growing problem of binge drinking in youth culture in this country," he said.

Swimming Australia CEO Kevin Neil said the funding switch would work and backed the government's strategy.

The money to sporting clubs is meant to fill the gap in their funding so they do not have to seek sponsorship from companies that sell alcohol.

"Swimming is one of the highest participated sports amongst youth in this country and we are choosing to take an active approach on this issue because it's our desire to tackle this problem together as a community," he said.

FFA and Netball Australia have both previously accepted funding from alcohol companies. The government said the funding was only an "alternative" and did not signal a total ban of alcohol funding for sporting clubs.

The money for the 12 sports will be used for national team sponsorship, national competitions, and community sporting events.

Originally published as Sports call last drinks on sponsorship