Brazil bans football from Rio's beaches

It was where World Cup winners honed their skills but Brazilian authorities are doing the unthinkable – banning football from the beaches of Rio de Janeiro.

Hundreds of police are being drafted in to enforce a ban on ball games by the edge of the sea as part of a concerted campaign to make the chaotic and often lawless city a more liveable place during the South American summer.

The ban which begins on December 1 is aimed at stopping altinho, what Brazilians call "keepie uppie". In a city that is as mad about football as it is about the beach, the measures have caused controversy. "It's absurd," said Gustavo Segala. "Playing altinho is not a crime. Playing football on the beach is part of our culture."



The ban hits at the heart of what it means to be a Carioca. Rio is famous for its footballing legends – Ronaldo, Zico and Garrincha among them – and many practised on the city's 54 miles of beach. In recent years, organised soccer schools have sprung up along Ipanema and Copacabana hoping to uncover new stars.

However, it appears that Brazillians may not be as skilful with the ball as common belief suggests. Authorities say the ban is necessary because women and children are often struck by stray balls and that bathers have to run the gauntlet while walking to the sea.

The ban on ball games will cover the hours between 8am and 5pm and will run until the end of the southern hemisphere's summer in mid March.