flares at matches ?

knowlesy · 11 Nov 2009 at 23:59

I was at my local uni rugby match tonight and two people set of flares and I was wondering are they illegal and are they actually allowed at matches ?

(they got kicked out)

firstborn · 12 Nov 2009 at 09:27

I was at a footy international some years ago and a guy a few rows up from me was killed by a distress flare fired from the other side of the stadium.

Why the hell you would want a flare in a crowded place is beyond me.

Rotty · 12 Nov 2009 at 09:34

they were allowed in the 70s but it has now been decided they look stupid ( along with Kevin Keegan perms )

jamief · 12 Nov 2009 at 10:47

I was at a football match in Italy a few years ago (Dundee vs Perugia, UEFA cup). The stands were basically made of concrete, and at the end of the game the opposition fans lit a bonfire in the middle of the stand. The cops just watched them! Scary stuff, especially with the flares and fireworks going off too

aztechnology · 12 Nov 2009 at 12:15

From Marine Guidance Notice 287 (M+F)

...

a) It is an offence to fire distress-signal pyrotechnics on land, in harbour or at sea for either testing purposes, practice or as fireworks ...

Reality|Bites · 13 Nov 2009 at 16:40

i wanted to make the trousers joke grrrr...

Rebelius · 13 Nov 2009 at 23:23

jamief said:
I was at a football match in Italy a few years ago (Dundee vs Perugia, UEFA cup). The stands were basically made of concrete, and at the end of the game the opposition fans lit a bonfire in the middle of the stand. The cops just watched them! Scary stuff, especially with the flares and fireworks going off too

I was at a world cup qualifier in Perugia when I was 9 - Italy vs Georgia in '96 - I remember 2 things about the game. Ravanelli scored and there were a LOT of flares and fireworks.

Hotwired · 13 Nov 2009 at 23:27

Pistol flares being fired around a stadium is retarded no question, but you can get handheld flares.

When you get down to it you are waving a hot and flaming pyro stick about so there are good reasons to ban them

Youstolemyname · 13 Nov 2009 at 23:42

you really have to ask if they are illegal to set off in stadiums?

Honestly?

sanaxe1 · 14 Nov 2009 at 00:08

Seems where on the subject , im just wondering if its legal to let off fireworks under the opposition teams chairs?

VonClinkerhofen · 15 Nov 2009 at 14:46

I was at PSG v Nancy in March and there were at least 10 people in the PSG end behind the goal waving handheld flares. The stewards were going in and confiscating them but they were being passed about and people were making it hard for the stewards to get to the flares. I'm not sure I'd like to be stood next to someone with a flare but it definitely adds to the spectacle/atmosphere for me. Almost half the crowd were smoking cigarettes too!