Fans at the Euro 2004 soccer championship will be tested for drunkenness and those over a certain blood alcohol limit barred from games, Portuguese authorities said on Friday.
Fans who show a blood alcohol level of 1.2 grams per liter will be turned away from stadiums, said Lieutenant-General Leonel de Carvalho, head of a government security committee for the 16-team tournament in June.
"The test won't be made on everybody, but in exceptional circumstances," he told a news conference after a meeting with UEFA organizers on security.
Portugal's legal blood alcohol limit for motorists is 0.5 grams per liter. A level of 1.2 grams per liter is considered a crime.
Carvalho said tests would be made at stadium gates with equipment similar to that used to check drivers' sobriety.
Portugal is hosting the tournament at 10 stadiums and organizers expect about 500,000 fans to attend.
Jacob Erel, director of UEFA's competition operations, said the main challenge was crowd control, such as access, transport and alcohol bans.
Portuguese authorities needed better coordination, especially since many of the stadiums were new, he said, before adding he had "confidence about the competence of this country to perform in the best way during the Euro 2004."
Fans who show a blood alcohol level of 1.2 grams per liter will be turned away from stadiums, said Lieutenant-General Leonel de Carvalho, head of a government security committee for the 16-team tournament in June.
"The test won't be made on everybody, but in exceptional circumstances," he told a news conference after a meeting with UEFA organizers on security.
Portugal's legal blood alcohol limit for motorists is 0.5 grams per liter. A level of 1.2 grams per liter is considered a crime.
Carvalho said tests would be made at stadium gates with equipment similar to that used to check drivers' sobriety.
Portugal is hosting the tournament at 10 stadiums and organizers expect about 500,000 fans to attend.
Jacob Erel, director of UEFA's competition operations, said the main challenge was crowd control, such as access, transport and alcohol bans.
Portuguese authorities needed better coordination, especially since many of the stadiums were new, he said, before adding he had "confidence about the competence of this country to perform in the best way during the Euro 2004."
