Bermuda Football Association are banning alcohol at Saturday's first leg Olympic qualifier with Costa Rica at the National Stadium -- a get-tough measure to show that they are serious about implementing recommendations made by the recent Board of Inquiry into drugs.

Security will also be tightened in a bid to prevent either alcohol or drugs being consumed during the match.

The new measures were confirmed yesterday at a BFA press conference to detail plans for Saturday's match.

"The BFA has put in place all the required measures as stipulated by FIFA and the International Olympic Committee. This to include drug testing and doping,'' said BFA president Richard Thompson in a prepared statement.

Members of the Olympic squad, he assured, would be drug tested prior to leaving for Costa Rica next week for the return match.

"Let me state here that we have, since the 1993 World Cup qualifier, with the blessing of the players, conducted drug tests and all with good results. In fact, every player that represented Bermuda for the Pan Am Games was tested by the BFA. And every player passed the test. We will do the same before they leave for Costa Rica.'' Saturday's match will be the first international held in Bermuda since the drug busts at Miami International airport last November and the BFA now appears anxious to clean up the game's image.

"In order to make the night enjoyable for all and in light of the recent developments and in consideration of the Board of Inquiry recommendations, the BFA has decided that there will be no alcoholic beverages on sale during the match,'' said Thompson.

"We are making the first step in bringing credibiity back into our sport.

Apart from the Board's recommendations, world trends in football are suggesting that alcoholic sales be drastically reduced or eliminated altogether inside football stadiums. Some will recall that during the World Cup, beer was served only during half-time.'' It remains to be seen whether the ban of alcohol at club grounds in Bermuda can be enforced, considering that clubs rely heavily on alcohol sales.

"Precisely,'' said Thompson. "That is going to call for a lot of consultation with the affiliates and at the end of the day the final decision will rest with the affiliates.'' "But of course we will be encouraging the affiliates to take whatever steps are necessary to eradicate the ills at our grounds.

"Obviously this is a start which we hope to continue, certainly at matches that the Bermuda Football Association is responsible for putting on.'' Added general secretary David Sabir: "We will be working closely in consultation with Minister (Pamela) Gordon and the Department of Youth and Sports. There is a seminar this Saturday at which the BFA will be involved.

"We won't be allowing any coolers (at the match) and we're asking the spectating public to show the international arena that Bermuda deserves to be in international football and that Bermuda knows how to put on an international football event.'' FIFA were also concerned about the conduct of Bermuda's spectators during one of the World Cup qualifying matches in 1992 when fans ran onto the field to celebrate Kyle Lightbourne's goal against El Salvador. The BFA are determined that will not happen again.

"No spectators will be allowed within the perimeter of the field, that's a FIFA rule,'' said Thompson.

"We will have tight security to protect both teams, visiting officials and the spectating public and we are asking supporters to refrain from the illegal use of drugs of any kind while attending the match. Help us reclaim football as a sport the whole family can attend.'' The squad of 20 from which 16 for the match will be picked later this week was also announced by the BFA yesterday, with captain Dwayne Adams and Timmy Firureido being the two goalkeepers.

Full squad: Dwayne Adams, Timmy Figureido, Dano Outerbridge, Andrew Rahman, Stanton Lewis, Kimandi Binns, Janeiro Tucker, Giovanni Wilson, Aaron Lugo, Jahmah Samuels, Nakia Smith, Otis Steede, Raynell Lightbourne, Lamaul Crofton, Quincy Aberdeen, Tafari Outerbridge, Jamel Smith, Ascento Russell, Keimon Lawrence, Keith Jennings.

For the trip to Costa Rica, BFA director Fred Lewis and coaching chairman Gladwin Bean will act as head of delegation and team manager respectively.