Third Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam smokefree..

October 28, 2009 - The third Asian Indoor Games (AIG), to be held in Viet Nam next Thursday, will be a non-smoking Games.

The events' organising board and World Health Organisation (WHO)'s Viet Nam branch office signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the capital yesterday (October 25th) to make this AIG the third one to be non-smoking.

Organisers and the WHO have agreed that cigarette smoking and sports do not belong together; tobacco in any form is not allowed at the events. No smoking at the event is in alignment with government regulations banning of smoking in public places. Tobacco advertisements and tobacco company sponsors are also not allowed at the events.

Non-smoking areas include AIG gymnasiums, all offices of AIG management board, press centres, and transportation units serving the event.

"Viet Nam organised the non-smoking Southeast Asian Games in 2005 successfully so I believe Viet Nam will hold well this event," said head representative of WHO's Viet Nam branch office, Dr Jean Marc Olive.

Vuong Bich Thang, director of AIG's operation centre said: "We promulgated rules, held training courses for volunteers and security staff on a non-smoking AIG, as well as created information for the media and at the event on the non-smoking policy."

"After this event, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism will publish rules to ban smoking at sports venues and tournaments," Thang added. "In this way, we will be in compliance with the government's rules banning smoking in public places which will take effect next year," Olive said.

At present, 41 countries and territories have registered to take part in the third AIG Games from October 30 to November 8.

Reference: No smoking rule enforced, VNS, smoking-quit.info, 10/26/2009.