A NEW INITIATIVE to try and stamp out anti-social from football will be trialled today as the Football League season reaches its climax.
Fans at this afternoon’s League Two game between Cambridge United and Burton Albion will be breathalysed by stewards at the turnstiles as authorities search for a solution to what they believe is a growing problem.
According to The Telegraph, breathalyser devices called AlcoBlows will be used by stewards but only fans who appear intoxicated will be tested.
Should they provide a sample of 70 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath or twice the legal drink drive limit, they will be refused admission to the ground.
A capacity crowd is expected at the Abbey Stadium as Burton look to seal the league title and clinch promotion to League One. Supporters have been urged to arrive at the ground in good time and to expect queues.
Police say the new scheme will educate fans about the ramifications of being drunk at a sporting event.
“I hope that the introduction of the devices will help stewards make empowered decisions about who should enter the ground,” Sergeant Ian Wood of Cambridgeshire Police told The Telegraph.
“We accept that a responsible fan may consume a moderate amount of alcohol before a game, however, we are focusing on the overly-intoxicated people who are most likely to become problematic during or after the game.
“The breathalysers will detect anything above twice the legal drink-drive limit.”
Supporters’ groups have, however, expressed their displeasure with the initiative, claiming arrests at games are at an all time low and the use of breathalysers is ‘an unnecessary step.’
