Campaign to ban spitting on football pitch

High-profile soccer players were blamed for helping to damage the quality and health of Britain’s streets today.

As part of the Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) campaign, the charity called the players and managers who spit on the pitch and at other players “morons who have made this filthy habit appear macho”. 

The charity also claimed that Britain’s streets have become littered with chewing gum and saliva. 

KBT also warn of the dangers of catching infections, such as tuberculosis (TB), because of kids copying the Premiership stars. 

Additionally, 75 per cent of football fans have voted Bolton Wanderers striker El-Hadji Diouf's spit at defender Arjan de Zeeuw in a Premiership match last season “the grossest thing they've ever seen on a football pitch.”

Alan Woods, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy says: “Spitting remains the ultimate insult, a contemptuous gesture drowning in hate.

“But it is not just revolting - it has a cost. Saliva and chewing gum deposited on the pavement needs to be washed and cleaned-up and when it is aimed at another person, spit can spread colds, flu, measles and mumps.”

Woods cites the reaction to the SARS outbreak in China in 2003 as evidence of how dangerous spitting in public can be.

Spitting in China is now banned with hefty fines imposed onto offenders.

TB is also carried in tiny water droplets and can be transferred by spit, and cases of the disease are on the rise in England.

The streets, however, bears the brunt of spitting as 90 per cent of British streets are said to be covered in chewing gum.

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (2005) now makes it easier to fine those who spit out gum.

New laws on anti-social behaviour may see those who spit gum at another person severely punished.

Woods will be writing to the Professional Footballers Association detailing why he thinks players should set a better example: “Almost all of our matches are now covered by television and top footballers enjoy a huge profile and lucrative lifestyle, but they have to realise that with notoriety comes responsibility and that their actions are monitored and copied.

“I would ask them: do you want to help breed a generation that shows contempt for each other and the environment? And by your thoughtless actions, do you want to be responsible for a serious epidemic?

“Football has done much to bring people together and combat problems such as racism. Now it is time to tackle spitting.”

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