FIFA will ban reusable plastic water bottles at the World Cup “to prevent risks and injuries to players and spectators,” prompting concern and criticism, as heatwave conditions are expected at many stadiums.
Organizations accuse FIFA of “putting revenue above health,” since it remains unclear whether spectators will have easy access to water or will need to purchase it repeatedly, despite the risk of heatstroke during extreme heat.
“This is a real health risk,” said Ronan Evain, Executive Director of Football Supporters Europe. “In Europe, we are increasingly seeing people collapse in the stands due to heatstroke,” he added.
This year’s World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Fans were allowed to bring water bottles into stadiums during the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States last summer, and FIFA had initially planned to apply the same policy this year in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“If they allowed it last year and initially planned to allow it for this tournament as well, then I find the security argument a little difficult to believe,” Evain said. “It shows that water is unfortunately still being treated as a commodity, when it is not—it is a health issue. We do not know how expensive a bottle of water will be inside the stadium because no prices have been published.”
The tournament will be organized by FIFA and hosted across United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
Source: Guardian
