April 3rd, 2002, 09:58 PM
TOKYO (Reuters) - World Cup organizers have warned fans going to matches this summer: "Pack an anorak or you'll get wet."
Japanese organizers (JAWOC) announced on Tuesday that umbrellas will be banned from World Cup stadia even though the tournament takes place during the rainy season in co-hosting Japan and South Korea.
"Normal umbrellas will be confiscated. Unless fans want to get wet, they should bring nylon raincoats or small folding umbrellas so as not to obstruct people," JAWOC security chief Takahisa Ishida told reporters in Tokyo.
The same rule, part of a five-page set of guidelines for fans released by World Cup organizers, will also apply to spectators in South Korea.
JAWOC introduced a similar policy at the Confederations Cup last year and, according to Ishida, found that "90 percent" of fans cooperated.
"Obviously, we do not want a situation where we have thousands of people waiting for their umbrellas to be returned so we will be putting out a booklet to advise fans in due course," he said.
CONFISCATE BOTTLES
Security officials in both host countries will also confiscate plastic bottles from fans entering World Cup stadia, another change from the 1998 tournament in France, Ishida confirmed.
And in a move that could dampen the atmosphere as much as the rain, organizers have told fans not to give players the sort of "ticker tape" welcomes seen at previous World Cups, particularly in Argentina in 1978.
"If you have got too much confetti flying about, it can interfere with the game. It would also create a lot of hard work for the stadium authorities afterwards," said Ishida.
Fans violating any of the 22 rules established by JAWOC and KOWOC or caught with any of the 17 banned items, which include "helmets" and "frozen substances" in addition to umbrellas, risk being ejected and refused entry to "all subsequent matches," said JAWOC.
Ishida also warned fans that buying World Cup tickets via Internet auctions would be in breach of the law as well as FIFA rules and would end up wasting a journey to the Far East.
"People not going through official channels and attempting to use a false ID are involving in a criminal act," he said. "Realistically you wonder how far you can carry out checks but we want to cut down on ticket touts."
Ishida stressed that both Japan and South Korea will take a tough line on fans who fail to provide proof of identity at World Cup grounds this summer.
"All fans must bring ID, plain and simple. That is the rule and if they don't have ID or the name on the ticket doesn't match, they won't get in," he said.
The tournament starts on May 31.
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Co-Owner
Bueno Technologies
Japanese organizers (JAWOC) announced on Tuesday that umbrellas will be banned from World Cup stadia even though the tournament takes place during the rainy season in co-hosting Japan and South Korea.
"Normal umbrellas will be confiscated. Unless fans want to get wet, they should bring nylon raincoats or small folding umbrellas so as not to obstruct people," JAWOC security chief Takahisa Ishida told reporters in Tokyo.
The same rule, part of a five-page set of guidelines for fans released by World Cup organizers, will also apply to spectators in South Korea.
JAWOC introduced a similar policy at the Confederations Cup last year and, according to Ishida, found that "90 percent" of fans cooperated.
"Obviously, we do not want a situation where we have thousands of people waiting for their umbrellas to be returned so we will be putting out a booklet to advise fans in due course," he said.
CONFISCATE BOTTLES
Security officials in both host countries will also confiscate plastic bottles from fans entering World Cup stadia, another change from the 1998 tournament in France, Ishida confirmed.
And in a move that could dampen the atmosphere as much as the rain, organizers have told fans not to give players the sort of "ticker tape" welcomes seen at previous World Cups, particularly in Argentina in 1978.
"If you have got too much confetti flying about, it can interfere with the game. It would also create a lot of hard work for the stadium authorities afterwards," said Ishida.
Fans violating any of the 22 rules established by JAWOC and KOWOC or caught with any of the 17 banned items, which include "helmets" and "frozen substances" in addition to umbrellas, risk being ejected and refused entry to "all subsequent matches," said JAWOC.
Ishida also warned fans that buying World Cup tickets via Internet auctions would be in breach of the law as well as FIFA rules and would end up wasting a journey to the Far East.
"People not going through official channels and attempting to use a false ID are involving in a criminal act," he said. "Realistically you wonder how far you can carry out checks but we want to cut down on ticket touts."
Ishida stressed that both Japan and South Korea will take a tough line on fans who fail to provide proof of identity at World Cup grounds this summer.
"All fans must bring ID, plain and simple. That is the rule and if they don't have ID or the name on the ticket doesn't match, they won't get in," he said.
The tournament starts on May 31.
------------------
Co-Owner
Bueno Technologies