Obese fans to enjoy half-price tickets at the world cup

If you are planning to go to the World Cup in Brazil you might want to consider changing your diet to include some Yam, Plantain and Cassava. Some Fufu, Eba, Banku, Kenkey and Jollof Rice will work in your favour. Anything that will make a Big Mac or KFC look like a snack – because if you can put on enough weight and prove it, you qualify for large seats meant for the obese, at half price.

A journalist touring the facility for the World Cup discovered some different-looking seats in the mix and reportedly learned there are extra wide seats for the use of anyone with a body mass index of 30 or greater — clinically obese — and a note from their doctor.

The seats, which are about double the width of regular chairs, are available in all 12 cities to conform with Brazilian regulations.

Supporters who are considered obese will be entitled to a 50 percent discount on match tickets as well as their special treatment regarding seating and location.

Fans from around the world can apply for ‘obese’ status, but must submit a medical certificate to prove they have a body mass index of 30 or more, as recognised by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and World Health Organization.

“FIFA always respects local legislation and regulations and as such included obese people within the category of people with special needs,” World Cup organisers said in an e-mailed statement.

“All obese customers will have the right to use a specific seat and will be offered the opportunity to request a complimentary ticket for one accompanying person.”

They are among a group including students, people over 60, disabled people and recipients of low-income grants who qualify for the half-price discount on tickets for the much-anticipated event.

A study by Brazil’s government reported that nearly half the population is overweight. It also found the percentage of obese people in the country rose to 16 per cent in 2011 from 11 per cent in 2006.