Currently the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) announced that it will put into effect a complete ban on the use, sale and promotion of tobacco in all stadiums involved in UEFA EURO 2012.

The regulation will cover without limitation any areas within stadium perimeters, both indoors and outdoors. The given smoking-free policy was created and will be executed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), European Healthy Stadia Network, World Heart Federation, local committees in the host countries like Poland, Ukraine and other health groups. UEFA’s decision to prohibit smoking from the world’s third biggest sporting event informs football fans from everywhere, underlining once again the link between football and good health.

“A smoking-free EURO 2012 will respect the health of all viewers and everyone else involved in this sport event. We maintain the highest standards of health, safety and largest tournament, and smoking does not comply with them,” stated UEFA President Michel Platini. “The idea of smoking-free EURO 2012 is a great one. Smoking has very bad consequences, and this is a most appropriate example of what can be done for society within the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which already demonstrates positive results all around the world,” said Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

The European Commissioner responsible for sport, Androulla Vassiliou welcomed the UEFA’s decision and underlined its possible wider impact: EURO 2012 is a place where will be present millions of fans and viewers, so it should be done everything in order to assure healthy atmosphere. And I think that a smoking-free EURO 2012 sets the standards for other sporting events across the world.”

Prompting host cities to guarantee tobacco-free public transport, bars, restaurants and fan zones, she said: “Football and sport are considered health performances, and smoking is something opposite: they can’t be mixed.”

The complete ban on tobacco use, sale and advertisement at UEFA EURO 2012 is far beyond local restriction and it is an evident outcome of UEFA’s engagement to promoting healthy lifestyles through sport and in particular football. This is a main theme of its Football and Social Responsibility activities, which use football in order to get rid of some of the world’s main health, social and environmental problems.

By Steve Shepherd, Staff Writer. Copyright © 2011 Cigarette-Store.org. All rights reserved.