Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski passed a law Thursday, September 22 that aimed to boost safety and tighten security at stadiums ahead of the Euro 2012 football championships.

The new law, which was passed in parliament in July, allows beer with up to 3.5 per cent alcohol to be sold at Euro 2012 and other mass events.

But Euro 2012 organizers in Poland said that while the law allows for beer sales, that UEFA was not planning to sell alcohol at the games, which Poland is co-hosting with Ukraine.

'UEFA is not planning to sell alcohol at stadiums and their immediate vicinity,' said Juliusz Gluski, spokesman for organizers Euro 2012 Polska.

A group of church officials, senators and parliamentarians had previously asked Komorowski for a veto, saying that alcohol would raise aggression and threaten security at sports games.

The new law will also allow electronic monitoring of football hooligans. Trials could also be conducted immediately at the football stadium itself, with suspects facing a judge that was electronically connected via monitor to the venue.

Those who smuggle their own alcohol into the stadium would face fines of at least 2,000 zloty (600 dollars,) according to the new law. Bringing a knife to the games would be punishable by arrest or a 3,000-zloty fine.

Police and the Interior Ministry say security was improving at Polish stadiums. There were some 100 incidents recorded last year at sports events, compared to 188 incidents in 2009.

Questions about stadium security were raised, however, after riots marred the Polish Cup final in May, in which fans tore off stadium seats and had to be dispersed with a water cannon.

Polish football association officials reassured after the riots that the situation at Euro 2012 would be different, M&C reported.