Code of Conduct for the 2014 World Cup
2014 is here, and more than that, the World Cup is finally coming to Brazil and the country is doing everything that's possible to make this huge international event safe and secure. This need for safety and security explains the code of conduct that was created by FIFA and Brazil that must guide the behavior of all football fans during the Cup.
The 2014 World Cup is going to happen in Brazil, the nation of football fans, for that reason the National Football Federation (FIFA) decided to established some standards in order to change some aspects of Brazilian football fans. The competition will follow strict patterns of security and comfort, which will impose some modifications in Brazilians' attitudes inside the stages.
Ban of Brazilian Habits
During the World Cup games, some gestures that nowadays are seen by Brazilians as a way to support a team will be forbidden. Watch a match standing up, hanging strips or flags in the bleachers and standing over the crowd with big flags - very common practice in Brazil - are practices that were banned by the 2014 Code of Conduct.
Measures for Comfort
Despite these measures, which are seen as an absurd by some Brazilians, some obvious measures were also established, as a way to create more comfort during the football matches. Supporters can’t sit in different seats than the one marked in their tickets, and smoking on the bleachers is completely forbidden - but will be allowed in other areas of the stadium - and insulting the judges, footballers or other fans are now also banned.
Prohibited in Brazil, Allowed by the Code
Composed not only of prohibitions, the Conduct Code had also allowed things that are now banned in Brazil. The biggest difference will be the allowance of drinking beer inside the stadium, something that was not permitted for Brazilian fans during domestic games. The sale of liquor will also happen in all places of the World Cup matches. But the fans must pay attention to the amount they consume, because the Code established that drunk fans cannot remain on the bleachers.
At the Stadium Entrance
The visitors in the Stadium and the accredited people must cooperate with the FIFA World Cup authorities as follows:
- Present the ticket or credential.
- If requested, present ID card or other documentation.
- Be subjected to inspections, personal examination of items that are forbidden to use, have, carry or take to the Stadium interior. The forbidden items are listed below.
Forbidden Items
The items listed below can enter the stadium only if authorized by FIFA World Cup Authorities, otherwise the are forbidden and their entrance will be barred.
- Arms of any type or objects that allow violence.
- Anything that can be used as arms or to cut, hit or stab, or as a projectile, especially long umbrellas and other similar items.
- Bottles, glasses (plastic cups are allowed), jars, cans or any other closed packaging that can be through and cause lesions, as well as, any other objects made with glass or fragile material.
- Fireworks, signposts, bombs and other products that perform similar effects.
- Liquids of any type (including alcoholic beverages), except for products bought at a stadium vender.
- Narcotics and stimulants.
- Materials related to offensive, xenophobic, racist, charitable or ideological causes.
- Flagpoles or posters, being allowed only flexible plastic poles that don’t exceed 1 meter long and 1 cm in diameter and are not made of flammable materials.
- Posters or flags larger than 2m x 1m50, will only be allowed smaller flags and posters not made of flammable material.
- Any kind of animal.
- Any promotional or commercial materials.
- Spray cans of gas, corrosive or flammable substances and paint cans. Common lighters for cigarettes are allowed.
- Larger objects, which means objects that are larger than the 25cmx25cmx25cm measure and cannot be stored underneath the seats in the Stadium.
- Large quantities of paper or paper rolls.
- Instruments that produce excessive amounts of noise such as megaphones, sirens or vuvuzelas.
- Instruments that emit laser beams or similar instruments.
- Large amounts of dust, flour or similar substances.
- Cameras (except for private use and in this case, only with a set of spare batteries), any type of video cameras or other recording equipment of sound and video.
- Personal computers and other devices (including laptops or tablets) used for the purposes of transmission or disseminating sound, pictures, descriptions or results of the events in the internet or in other channels.
- Other objects which jeopardize the public safety or harm the reputation of the event.
In the Stadium
One of the major demands of FIFA is respect, and for that reason all visitors and accredited people in the Stadium must behave themselves in order to not offend, risky anyone's safety or bothering or intimidating the public.
Other demands of the International Football Federation are safety and comfort. Emergency exits must be kept free all the time and garbage must be thrown in trash cans spread throughout the stadium. Visitors and accredited people must not:
- Enter into the field or in the area around the field.
- Stand in the bleachers during the match.
- Throw objects, substances or liquids of any type in the direction of another person, or in the field or in himself/herself.
- Start a fire, of through fireworks, signposts, bombs and other objects that reproduce the same effect.
- Behave in a way that disturbs the event and the public.
- Express offensive messages of racist, xenophobic or discriminatory nature.
- Promote political, ideological or charity messages.
- Be visually over the influence of alcohol, narcotics or any other drugs.
- Disturb the public, the footballers or judges before, during and after the match.
- Sell tickets or any other products or distribute printed material.
- Perform any violent behaviour or encourage it.
- Cause any harm to the public or things.
- Climb structures or installations not planned for the public use, such as lampposts, camera platforms, roofs, walls and other similar.
- Block or restrict passages, paths, roads, entrances, exits, emergency exits or transit zones (of vehicles or people).
- Access, invade or encourage the invasion of areas closed for the public, such as VIP sections, the press section, unauthorized areas and others.
- Write, paint or fixed anything in the structure, installations or passages of the Stadium.