Smoking on the touchlines at children’s football matches is being banned by the Football Association of Wales.

Published by swfa on October 11, 2020October 11, 2020

A total of 522 junior clubs affiliated to the FAW will be required to enforce the ban and will have to tell spectators that smoking is not allowed.

It is being phased in this month at under-12s games and will then be expanded to take in under-14s.

Smokers’ group Forest said the number of smokers at games would be small and “most eyes will be on the football”.

Clubs are being given promotional material to help them to publicise the ban, which has been set up with anti-smoking campaign group ASH Wales.

It comes after a pilot was held at Rhondda and District Football League’s mini and junior football games and at the South Wales Women’s and Girls’ League junior matches.

The Welsh Government plans to ban smoking in playgrounds by March.

Clubs are being given promotional material to help them to publicise the ban

Health Minister Vaughan Gething praised the ban by the FAW and its trust, which supports grassroots football.

“Voluntary bans like this one help protect children from seeing smoking as an acceptable and normal behaviour and can help prevent them from taking up smoking in the first place,” he said.

Dr David Adams, from the FAW Trust, said: “As a parent of children who take part in grassroots football, I am delighted with our partnership with ASH Wales, and that the FAW and FAW Trust are leading the way to help the next generation of children grow up recognising the health risks associated with smoking.”