Press Release: VW's Response to Cricket Ball Tampering Scandal

This assignment presents a press release drafted by a student on behalf of VW, the car manufacturer, in response to the Australian cricket ball tampering scandal. The press release addresses the incident involving Australian cricketers, who were brand ambassadors for VW. It outlines VW's decision to terminate contracts and sever ties with the players involved, emphasizing the company's commitment to ethical values and corporate governance. The document highlights the importance of maintaining credibility and the company's stance on cheating and malpractices. The press release also touches upon VW's continued association with Cricket Australia while condemning the actions of the players, thereby communicating VW's values to its stakeholders and managing the company's reputation during a crisis. The document also includes potential questions that might be asked during a press conference, to address the crisis.

Press Release
Contact: Senior PR Manager
Phn : xxxx xxxxx
Date: xx. xx. xxxx E-mail: [e-mail]
Response of VW to the ball tampering incident
[NSW, xx.xx.xxxx] The incident related to the ball tampering incident that took place during the
test match that was being help between Australia and South Africa shook the sporting world.
Camron Bancroft, Steven Smith and David Warner were found to guilty of the incidents.
Three of said professional crickets playing for the Australian national Cricket team had been
associated with VW. It was an honour for the company to have such great player to represent our
company on a global scale was something that the company took pride in. However, the incident
that had transpired just brought shame to the company but to Cricket Australia and the nation as
a whole.
From the perspective of the company, it can be stated that we value credibility and extend full
support and appreciation for favourable achievers in the game of cricket or in business. At VW,
maintaining truthfulness is on top of the priority list. Thus, sticking to the said values has been
recognised one of the prime motives of the company through which the company aims to
communicate to its diverse groups of stakeholders about what the company values and what it
does not.
The company has always taken in pride in being associated with the Australia Cricket team not
only because of the rich history that is associated with the game in the country, but also due to

the fact that cricket is the national game of the country. However, cheating is something that is
not appreciated from the perspective of the company. As a result of the incident that transpired,
the company had to take a tough decision regarding the future of the company with the
highlighted brand ambassadors. Even though the company realises that a huge sum of money is
associated with the brand sponsorship with the said players, the top level management of the
company has decided to remove all attachments with the said players and terminate their
contracts with the said players.
Through the said decision the company aims to communicate its values to the varied groups of
stakeholders associated to the company. While the company is operating in the industry it aims
to make associations through which the company is subject to favourable outcomes and
performances. The latter is an aspect that the company pays due attention to as the company aims
to satisfy the diverse groups of stakeholders associated to the company. Corporate governance
and sustainability of the stakeholders is one of the top priorities of the company as a result of
which the said decision has been taken.
Thus, in conclusion it is being stated clearly that the company is removing all association that
will remove all associations that it had with the highlighted players associated to the ball
tampering case as it violates the company’s ethical framework and values. However, it will still
remain associated to Cricket Australia as it has been realised by the company that the board is
not responsible for the incident that had transpired.
[Senior Public Relations Manager]
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Possible Questions
Question 1: The company has been associated too controversies associated with tampering in the
past. The Australian has been found to be guilty of the unfavourable incident related to
tampering. So as a company having experience in tampering what is your role in the incident.
Question 2: With the recent malpractices that transpired with the Australian Cricket team, the
players who are associated with your company are being termed as cheaters. What does VW
have to say regarding the issue?
Question 3: What did VW do to communicate their opinions to the player who have been
highlighted?
Question 4: With the incidents that have transpired, what is the response of the senior
management team of the company to the incident?
Question 5: The Company has not been shy of development of activities associated with
malpractices such as tapering. To how extent the behaviour and the actions of the said player
influence the activities associated with the nature of actions that have been carried out by the
players that have been highlighted in the incident?
Questions 6: It is known that the VW is one of the prime sponsors of the Australian cricket
team. Just as the various other companies associated to the Australian cricket board have
terminated the sponsorships with the board, will VW treat the issue in similarly or will it not?