World Cup Obese Seats
Fans who weigh almost 16 stones or more are entitled to a special double-seat at the World Cup Getty

Overweight World Cup football fans have been provided with specially adapted wider seats at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Under the country's law, fans with a body mass index (BMI), of 30 or higher can buy a half-price special-needs ticket and get one of the seats - double the size of a normal one.

Using the index, it means someone who is six feet tall and weighs 15st 11lbs would be entitled to the seats.

Fifa has made 20,000 special-needs tickets available for disabled fans during the 64-match tournament, and says checks are in place to ensure they are being used only by fans who are entitled to them.

Speaking at the Maracana Stadium, where the 13 July final will be held, Federico Addiechi, head of corporate hospitality, said: "There are cases where a person doesn't look obese but meets the guidelines. We cannot decide you are not obese if the law says you are obese."

But annoyed Brazilian authorities have reported seeing slender fans wriggling in the specially designed double-seats specially designed for obese people.

But football's governing body Fifa is powerless to stop slimmer fans filling the seats because of size calculation guidelines.

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