Smoke-free soccer. (The Beat).

Although it will lose millions of dollars in tobacco sponsorship each year, the South African Football Association (SAFA) has added its support to the growing worldwide movement away from smoking. On 14 March 2001, SAFA announced its partnership with the WHO in a joint program promoting a smoke-free soccer environment. This follows a January 2001 act in South Africa banning smoking in public places and curtailing tobacco company sponsorship of sporting and cultural events.

The program seeks to reduce the number of South Africans--currently some 25,000--who die each year from tobacco-related diseases. Anti-smoking posters featuring prominent South African players will go up in soccer venues, announcements during matches will remind spectators of the new policies, and SAFA chief executive Danny Jordaan hinted in an interview that no-smoking clauses may be written into future player contracts.