Footballs won’t be the only things kicked in Qatar at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. Tobacco and e-cigarettes will also be kicked out of Doha’s eight stadiums, ensuring fans can enjoy smoke-free air, reports WHO.
Implementing tobacco and smoke-free measures at the FIFA World Cup™ has been the goal of a unique partnership between FIFA, the Government of Qatar and the World Health Organization (WHO) to make the tournament healthy and safe.
“Each of the three partners have long promoted effective tobacco control measures, while also raising awareness around tobacco health hazards,” according to Dr Rayana Bou Haka, WHO Representative to Qatar. “They have also backed the implementation of a tobacco-free policy at FIFA sporting events. Still, evidence shows that successful tobacco-free mega sporting events depend on effective communication and enforcement of policies.”
The FIFA Event Policy for Tobacco is in line with WHO recommendations for mega-sporting events and aims to protect people’s right to breathe clean air, uncontaminated by carcinogens and other harmful substances. The policy prohibits smoking and vaping in the stadium bowl and only allows it in outdoor designated smoking areas in the outer perimeter of the stadiums.
FIFA has long been committed to countering the use of tobacco, being considered a pioneer among sports organizations in this respect. As far back as 1986, in the days when tobacco sponsorship was commonplace in sports, FIFA announced it would no longer accept advertising from the tobacco industry.
Qatar will be assigning a team of 80 tobacco inspectors to support FIFA volunteers and security staff in enforcing the FIFA Event Policy on Tobacco during the FIFA World Cup, which runs from 21 November to 18 December. Visual and audio communications tools have also been designed to reach the sizeable audience and raise awareness by FIFA, Qatar and WHO, including Florence, a virtual health worker created by WHO, able to provide digital counselling services to those trying to quit tobacco.
“Qatar has been a frontrunner in tobacco control in the region,” said Dr Kholoud Ateeq K M Al-Motawaa, head of noncommunicable disease for Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health. “For the FIFA World Cup, tobacco control measures have been developed for inside and outside stadiums, especially in public places, while tobacco-free environments in fan zones will be rigorously enforced where supporters without tickets can watch games on large screens surrounded by smoke-free air.”