Attending sporting mega events during COVID-19: mitigation and messaging at UK EURO 2020 matches.

The UEFA EURO 2020 football tournament was one of the largest Sporting Mega Events (SMEs) to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mitigating the risk of virus transmission requires a multi-layered approach for any large event, more so in this case due to staging the tournament across eleven host countries. Yet, little is known about COVID-19 risks and mitigation from attending an event of this scale and nature. We examined the implementation of mitigation and messaging at EURO 2020 matches hosted at venues in the UK. The tournament was postponed from the summer of 2020 and played in June and July of 2021. Structured observations were conducted by 11 trained fieldwork-supporters at 10 matches played at Wembley Stadium, London, or Hampden Park, Glasgow. Fieldwork-supporters observed one-way systems and signage, and hand sanitizing stations inside the stadia, but reported significant variation in the implementation of staggered timeslots, testing upon entry, and procedures for exit. Adherence to planned measures by ticket holders and implementation by stewards waned as the tournament progressed culminating in an absence of enforced measures at the final. The non-compliance with COVID-19 mitigation measures was likely to have led to a significantly increased risk of transmission. Future events should consider how COVID-19 mitigation measures could become 'new norms' of fan behaviour, learning from what is already known about football fandom. Tournament organizers of SMEs can use these findings to promote clearer messaging on pandemic-driven changes in fan behaviour and best practices in mitigating risk at future sporting and cultural events.

The UEFA EURO 2020 football tournament saw one of the largest returns to spectating at sporting events during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the tournament taking place across 11 different countries, several measures (e.g. mask-wearing and social distancing) were put in place to protect ticket holders from spreading and catching COVID-19, and these were communicated to spectators before and during matches. This study considers how these measures were implemented at EURO 2020 matches hosted in the UK. Despite retaining the name 'EURO 2020', the tournament was postponed from the summer of 2020 and played in June and July of 2021. We recruited and trained 11 ticket holders who became observers at 10 matches played at Wembley Stadium, London, or Hampden Park, Glasgow. The results demonstrate that supporting normally at football matches during the pandemic times increased the risk of virus transmission. There were inconsistencies in how mitigation measures were planned and implemented by tournament organizers. Ticket holders were also less compliant with mitigation measures as the tournament progressed, likely made more difficult with relaxations in government restrictions. To limit virus transmission at future sporting and cultural events, messaging on mitigation measures must be clear, consistent and implemented as planned.

Commercial determinants of health: advertising of alcohol and unhealthy foods during sporting events.

Tobacco, alcohol and foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar generate much of the global burden of noncommunicable diseases. We therefore need a better understanding of how these products are promoted.The promotion of tobacco products through sporting events has largely disappeared over the last two decades, but advertising and sponsorship continues bycompanies selling alcohol, unhealthy food and sugar-sweetened beverage. The sponsorship of sporting events such as the Olympic Games, the men's FIFA World Cup and the men's European Football Championships in 2016, has received some attention in recent years in the public health literature. Meanwhile, British football and the English Premier League have become global events with which transnational companies are keen to be associated, to promote their brands to international markets. Despite its reach, the English Premier League marketing and sponsorship portfolio has received very little scrutiny from public health advocates. We call for policy-makers and the public health community to formulate an approach to the sponsorship of sporting events, one that accounts for public health concerns.

Le tabac, l'alcool et les aliments riches en graisse, en sel et en sucre génèrent la plus large partie de la charge mondiale des maladies non transmissibles. Il est donc nécessaire de mieux comprendre la manière dont ces produits sont promus. La promotion des produits du tabac dans le cadre d'événements sportifs a largement disparu au cours des vingt dernières années, mais la publicité et le sponsoring par des entreprises qui vendent de l'alcool, des produits alimentaires peu sains et des boissons sucrées sont encore d'actualité. Depuis quelques années, la littérature sur la santé publique commence à porter son attention sur le sponsoring d'événements sportifs, tels que les Jeux olympiques, la Coupe du monde masculine de la FIFA ou encore le Championnat d'Europe de football masculin de 2016. Mais dans le même temps, le football britannique et la Premier League anglaise sont devenus des événements mondiaux auxquels les multinationales aiment être associées pour promouvoir leurs marques auprès de marchés internationaux. Malgré leur portée, le marketing et le sponsoring de la Premier League anglaise semblent négligés par les défenseurs de la santé publique. Nous appelons les décideurs politiques et la communauté de santé publique à élaborer une approche pour le sponsoring d'événements sportifs qui réponde aux enjeux de santé publique.

El tabaco, el alcohol y los alimentos que son ricos en grasa, como la sal y el azúcar, generan gran parte de la carga mundial de enfermedades no contagiosas. Por tanto, necesitamos una mejor comprensión de la forma en que se promueven estos productos. La promoción de los productos del tabaco a través de eventos deportivos ha desaparecido en gran medida en las últimas dos décadas, pero la publicidad y el patrocinio continúan por parte de las empresas que venden alcohol, alimentos poco saludables y bebidas azucaradas. El patrocinio de eventos deportivos como los Juegos Olímpicos, la Copa Mundial de la FIFA masculina y el Campeonato de Fútbol Europeo del 2016 ha recibido cierta atención en los últimos años en la bibliografía sobre salud pública. Mientras tanto, el fútbol británico y la Premier League inglesa se han convertido en eventos globales con los que las empresas transnacionales están dispuestas a asociarse, para promocionar sus marcas ante los mercados internacionales. A pesar de su alcance, la cartera de comercialización y patrocinio de la Premier League inglesa apenas han sido objeto de escrutinio por parte de los defensores de la salud pública. Pedimos a los responsables de la formulación de políticas y a la comunidad de la salud pública que formulen un enfoque para el patrocinio de eventos deportivos, que tenga en cuenta estas preocupaciones sobre la salud pública.