CAIRO: Egypt's Doctors' Syndicate has requested permission from the organizing committee of the world youth cup hosted by Egypt next September to make the tournament smoking free. According to the universal regulations of football championships, the International Football League has to approve requests and logos to be used in official championships. A statement made by the syndicate, said that its request is not new, as China issued the same rule during the Beijing 2008 Olympic games. The Syndicate addressed its request to Minister of Health Hatem Al-Gabaly and Hassan Sakr, chairman of the National Sports Council to pressure the league to approve the request, adding that the league's approval should not be essential but complimentary. "No authority should have the right to interfere in any health procedure that Egypt wants to take to protect and preserve the health of its citizens, said Hamdy El-Sayyed, chairman of Doctors' Syndicate to Daily News Egypt. El-Sayyed however, fears that the league may refuse if it stands to gain from cigarette advertisers. He said that no authority should stand against "campaigning against smoking, especially if this campaign targets youth and is launched during a youth championship, which is the perfect time to campaign against smoking.
