Sports, Football | The proposal divides Norway. What do you mean?

In just over a week, the Norwegian football season will start again. On Thursday, VAR was brought up on Debate, while on Friday a new topic appeared in the nation’s columns.

In TV 2, the Storting politicians from the Conservative Party, Bård Ludvig Thorheim and Turid Kristensen, come out and say that they want to have alcohol served in Norwegian football stadiums.

– I would like for us to be able to do as in other countries: To be able to serve alcohol in the stadium. Both for the public’s sake, it is often pleasant, but also for the clubs, because it provides increased income for them, says Kristensen, who is Høyre’s sports policy spokesperson, to the channel.

– It’s good to have a beer before a match and during the match. It is part of the culture, says Thorheim.

Disagree

KrF leader Olaug Bollestad strongly disagrees.

– No one needs to feel that they cannot go to a match because there is so much alcohol consumption. Therefore, I believe that we must ensure that sport is an arena for everyone, she tells TV 2, and points out:

– Arenas such as sports should be especially for children and young people and families who want to be involved. And then it is unnecessary that we have to have alcohol to watch a football match. That place can be alcohol-free, so you can enjoy alcohol in places other than the sports arena.

Thorheim and Kristensen’s proposal also faces opposition from the sports organisations. Both the Norwegian Football Association and the Norwegian Sports Association disagree.

– The clubs can apply to the local authorities for sales at designated places in the stadium, but it is not open to bring alcohol into the stands. The provisions work well, according to what we have experienced, and there are no plans to open further, for example by bringing out into the stands, says the NFF in a statement to TV 2.

Spokesperson for RBK’s supporter club Kjernen, Bjørn Skar, is also cited in the case. He says that Kjernen is in favor of serving alcohol in Norwegian stands, but that it must be linked to specific stand sections.