SMOKEFREE SPORTS CYMRU
We know that children copy behaviour, a child is two thirds more likely to start smoking if they have a parent who smokes.
When children witness adults lighting up in everyday settings such as football pitches, they come to see smoking as a normal lifestyle choice, rather than the a deadly addiction.
Why Smokefree Sport?
Given the choice young people would like to participate and enjoy sport in a clean, healthy, smokefree environment. We surveyed 125 children with 99% saying they didn’t want adults smoking around them when playing sport.
We also asked the children if they thought smoking was common or uncommon in Wales and 88% said they thought smoking was common. When asked what percentage of people smoke in Wales the average answer was over half the population at 56%, compared to the actual figure of 18%.
Children and young people are highly influenced by what they see around them and the “important” people in their lives. To ensure less children take up smoking, we need to denormalise smoking and change young people’s perceptions that smoking is a common activity.
FAW & FAW TRUST
Pilot Project
In 2019, ASH Wales and FAW Trust launched a pilot smoking ban at Rhondda & District Football League junior football games and at the South Wales Women’s and Girl’s League junior matches. The clubs were supplied with smokefree resources and messaging for their social media channels.
Nationwide Success
In 2020, following the success of the pilot project a decision was made by the FAW to introduce a no smoking policy for all small-sided football in Wales. The new policy will see smoking banned from the sidelines at football matches across Wales for ages 5-11-years old from September 2020, followed by 5-12-years from September 2021 and then 5-13-years from 2022.
ASH Wales and the FAW officially announced the policy on Tuesday 29th September 2020, to mark World Heart Day. This is the first nationwide move of its kind in the UK and has been widely supported by organisations and individuals including UEFA, Healthy Stadia, British Heart Foundation, Members of the Senedd and football celebrities.
Get Involved!
If you are involved with a sports team or facility and want to find out more about our Smokefree Sports campaign please contact RachelB@ashwales.org.uk
