Tobacco-Free Stadia Guidance – Healthy Stadia, 2016

Tobacco-Free Stadia Guidance – Healthy Stadia, 2016

The European Healthy Stadia Network is proud to publish a set of new guidance materials to help sports organisations implement effective tobacco control policies at sports stadia. Developed in close consultation with venue managers, security managers and tobacco control experts from World Heart Federation, the guidelines were officially launched to UEFA’s 54 member associations at the European House of Football in Nyon on 16^th February.

Building on research findings that only 18 out of UEFA’s 54 European countries have football stadia that operate completely smoke-free policies, the guidance materials will prove a valuable tool for clubs, multi-purpose stadium operators and governing bodies of sport in the development and enforcement of strong tobacco control policies, supporting Healthy Stadia’s ambition for all European sports stadia and tournaments to adopt minimum standard smoke-free policies by 2020.

The guidance documents will be of particular assistance to sports organisations based in countries with weaker tobacco control legislation that does not cover stadium environments, offering the key health and safety reasons for adopting tobacco control policies, benefits to stadium operators, and a step-by-step framework on how to implement such policies.

Key topics covered by the guidance include:

• Dangers of tobacco usage and second-hand smoke at sports stadia
• Benefits of adopting tobacco control policies at sports stadia and support from stakeholders
• Defining smoke-free and tobacco-free policies
• Recommendations on how stadia operators can go beyond national tobacco control legislation to implement protective policies, including FC Barcelona case study
• Communications tools for key audiences, stadium signage guidance and audio-visual tools
• Enforcement and monitoring of tobacco control policies at matches and events.

The guidance is available as a 12 page Short Guide for decision makers and stakeholders (available in English, French and German language), and a longer Main Guide intended for members of staff involved in implementation of tobacco control policies. The Main Guide provides users with key background information and tools such as policy templates, pictorial guides, case studies and links to further resources, including an additional enforcement training module for stewards and security staff on how to monitor and intervene in cases of non-compliance at events.

Commenting on the new guidelines, Peter Gillieron (Chairman of the UEFA Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee), commented: “As part of its commitment to promoting active and healthy lifestyles, UEFA is glad to see the publication of new guidance to assist national associations and clubs who wish to implement tobacco control policies. Such policies protect the health and safety of all stadium users at football matches across Europe through the elimination of second-hand smoke”

The full set of guidance documents, including translations, can be downloaded from the Healthy Stadia website at the following link: www.healthystadia.eu/tobacco/guidance

For further information please contact: matthew.philpott@healrthystadia.eu / +44 7826533013

[1] Survey of Smoke-free Policies at Football Stadia in Europe – Healthy Stadia (2014)