Brazil World Cup to offer seats for obese fans
People walk by a huge poster depicting works at Itaquerao stadium, aimed at promoting Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup, on January 28, 2013, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. / Getty Images
SAO PAULO The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is set to be the first to offer special seats for obese fans.
The seats will be offered to conform to Brazilian legislation, although fans from other nations also will be entitled to them. FIFA told The Associated Press on Monday that it will be the "first time tickets for obese people are offered at a FIFA event."
The tickets will also be available for the upcoming Confederations Cup, the World Cup warm-up tournament that will be played in Brazil from June 15-30.
The World Cup Bill in Brazil requires that at least 1 percent of seats in each stadium are made available for disabled people, a category that includes the obese, wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
- Not so "beautiful game?" Corruption suspicions hang over soccer
- World Cup may forever change Brazilian soccer
- Brazil nightclub fire raises questions about Rio's readiness for World Cup, Olympics
FIFA said that to qualify for a ticket, people are required to submit a medical certificate that proves they have a body mass index of 30 or more, as recognized by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and World Health Organization.
"FIFA is generally following local legislation of the host countries, and is in Brazil guided by the General FIFA World Cup Bill and a separate decree related to obese people," football's governing body said. "The number of tickets available for disabled people depends on the infrastructure provisions of each stadium and the distribution between seats."
According to Brazilian legislation, the 2016 Rio Olympics also will have to offer seats for obese fans.
Popular on CBSNews.com
- Photos of the Week 21 Photos
- U.K. police announce new leads in missing girl case
- U.N. panel: Sanctions delaying NKorea nuke program
- Canadian earthquake jolts cities, felt in U.S.
- Drone technology myths, facts and future feats
- Russia strikes back after expelling alleged U.S. spy
- $1 million in jewelry stolen near Cannes film festival
- At least 12 killed in blasts targeting Iraq's Shiites
2 Comments Add a Comment
- linkicon reporticon emailicon
- People that choose those seats will pay a little extra for the added comfort and space. Sounds like a great plan. Good for Brazil.
- reply
- linkicon reporticon emailicon
- Hahahaha, special tickets for fat people to sit on their fat ass's to watch sport. Death by fatness and irony.
- reply
