Dubai: Police are warning sports fans not to bring in prohibited items into stadiums, as it can lead to a massive fine of up to Dh30,000.
Ahead of the numerous upcoming sports tournaments set to take place throughout 2019, Abu Dhabi Police have listed all the banned items that are prohibited from public events, including laser pens, pets, lighters, medicines, cigarettes, brass knuckles and other white weapons such as swords, daggers, sticks, and batons.
The next big sports event in the UAE will be the AFC Asian Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain and Sharjah from January 5 to February 1, 2019. Organised by the Asian Football Confederation, the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 will see the UAE hosting the biggest ever Asian Football Championship, taking place over 28 days, with 51 matches, 24 national teams, eight stadiums and four cities across the UAE.
Under the themes "UAE Home of Football" and "Bringing Asia Together", this edition of the world's second longest running men's football competition in the world represents the second time the UAE has played host, since its initial role back in 1996.
Dubai will host 11 matches in two stadiums, Al Maktoum and Rashid, with an expected audience of more than 126,000 fans.
Carrying white weapons is also against the law, and sports fans caught with such items can be slapped with Dh30,000 in fines and up to three months in jail.
According to Article 18, of Law No. 8, 2014 concerning the Security of Sports Facilities and Events, “any person who breaches [the law] shall be sentenced to an imprisonment term of one month at least to three months maximum, and/or a fine of Dh5,000 minimum to Dh30,000 maximum.”
The Law
In late 2015, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued Cabinet Resolution (31) of 2015 on the Executive Regulations of Federal Law No (8) of 2014, concerning the Security of Sports Facilities and Events
According to Federal Law No. 8 of 2014, sports fans have to comply with the following rules:
- They shall not enter onto the playground itself or the special area of the Sports Event without permission.
- They shall not take with them or acquire any prohibited or dangerous substances particularly fireworks to the Sports Facility or to the place where the Sports Event is conducted. The Executive Regulations shall define the types and nature of such substances.
- They shall not breach the conditions governing carrying or acquiring weapons in the Sports Facility or during conducting the Sports Event. Such conditions shall be issued by a decision the Minister makes.
- They shall not commit, participate in, instigate or attempt to commit acts of violence.
- They shall not throw any substances or liquids of any type towards any other audience fan or towards the area surrounding the playground or the playground itself.
- They shall not utter or write any insulting language or make any gestures that would be insulting or make any statements of racial nature during conducting the Sports Event.
- They shall sit in the allocated spaces.
- They shall not use the playground for political purposes.
