Smoking banned at professional football matches in Belgium

The Belgian professional football league announced in early October 2020 a ban on smoking at professional football matches from 16 October until further notice, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a press release published on 6 October 2020, the Pro League, the association that brings together clubs and organises professional football competitions in Belgium, introduced a general smoking ban in Belgian stadiums during matches in the following three competitions: the Jupiler Pro League, the 1B Pro League – the 1st and 2nd professional divisions – and the Croky Cup – the Belgian national cup [1].

This measure, taken after consultation with the clubs and the offices of the two Belgian Sports Ministers – that of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and that of Flanders – took effect on the weekend of October 16 to 18, and will remain in force until further notice.

A ban justified by the health situation

The Pro League explains this measure by the current health context: "The smoking ban is introduced because removing the mask to smoke is not a valid exception to the obligation to wear a mask" [2]. Pro League spokesman Stijn Van Bever further clarifies that smoking rooms in stadiums "are high-risk gathering places and therefore present a higher risk of infection" [3].

The Belgian professional football league, in its press release, also underlines that "attending a football match in complete safety is a responsibility shared between the Pro League, the clubs, the authorities and the supporters present" [4].

A measure which follows several initiatives against smoking in stadiums in Belgium

Although the decision taken by the Pro League is motivated by the current health situation, it is part of a series of actions carried out for several years in Belgium, both by the Pro League and by the Belgian football federation, the RBFA (Royal Belgian Football Association).

In 2017, for example, the Pro League had already issued a ban on smoking in stadiums during the weekends of 14-16 and 21-23 April [5]. It was then simply an awareness-raising action, with offenders not incurring any sanctions.

Since 2017, the RBFA, for its part, has been seriously committed to the fight against smoking in stadiums, which has notably led to the banning of smoking during all matches of the Belgian national teams [6A survey of supporters conducted by 1895, the official supporters' club of the Belgian national teams, also showed that 81 % of French-speaking supporters and 75 % of Dutch-speaking supporters supported this measure.

In France, the ban on smoking in places open to the public [7] does not apply to the vast majority of stadiums, because most of them are not completely enclosed and covered. However, the law allows the stadium operator to impose a smoking ban in "all places, covered or not, which are under its authority in its internal regulations" [8], which is what Paris Saint-Germain has been doing at the Parc des Princes since 2013 [9].

©Tobacco Free Generation

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[1] General smoking ban at Pro League matches, www.proleague.be (October 6, 2020, consulted on November 13, 2020). [2] Ibid. [3] Pro League imposes smoking ban in stadiums, RTBF (October 6, 2020, consulted on November 13, 2020). [4] General smoking ban at Pro League matches, www.proleague.be (October 6, 2020, consulted November 13, 2020).7] [5] Smoking ban in stadiums: Pro League to take action during Play-offs, RTL (April 11, 2017, consulted on November 13, 2020). [6] Non-smoking stadium, www.rbfa.be (accessed 13 November 2020). [7] Ban on smoking in public places, solidarites-sante.gouv.fr (May 30, 2014, last updated November 2, 2015, consulted November 13, 2020). [8] EURO 2016 Vade-mecum / Alcohol & Tobacco. Update on regulations, sports.gouv.fr (May 2016, consulted on November 13, 2020). [9] No more smoking at the Parc des Princes: PSG's new rules, Rue 89 Sports – L'Obs (July 22, 2013, consulted November 13, 2020). DNF - For a Zero Tobacco World |