Chiliz has announced that it has commenced operating on a blockchain-based solution to provide soccer fans to return to the stadiums gradually — granted that they hold a government-issued “immunity pass.”

According to its blog post dated April 13, the proposed Socios Pass could be a solution to alleviate some of the damage to the sports industry caused by the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

While some nations in Europe, including Italy, are already outlining plans for an inevitable return to normalcy, the common understanding is that soccer events will be held behind closed doors for the foreseeable future. 

Indeed, one football match on February 19 is often criticized for seeding the original outbreak in Italy, focused around the city of Bergamo. These plans could be a significant hit to the football industry, which draws a substantial part of its profits from trading stadium tickets, Chiliz states. 

A potential solution lauded by some scientists and politicians is that of an “immunity passport,” which would confirm that its holder has already been contaminated with the Coronavirus. Though the science behind re-infection remains complex, this would probably mean that the person cannot contract or spread the disease, which would enable them to attend mass gatherings and live a healthy life.

Chiliz’s partners, which involve Italian and European teams such as FC Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, are reportedly supportive of this proposal.

The Socios Pass would run by correlating with the user’s digital immunity certificate after transferring a know-your-customer procedure on its website.

The fans would then present a one-time QR code to stewards at the entrances of the stadium, who would immediately confirm the identity of the person.

Is this practical?

Immunity passports have been scrutinized for a large variety of reasons, both ideological and practical. For one, it would generate strong incentives for people to get infected on purpose, which would beat the purpose of confining containment measures, as some specialists warn.

There are also prominent problems with the rate of fake positives of the antibody tests utilized for certification. These tests are so far too imprecise to be applied for anything more than statistical estimates.

Possible social issues and concerns of government overreach also offer to make this proposal disagreeable, for now. Alexandre Dreyfus, the CEO of Chiliz, told in a statement that Socios Pass is a way to be equipped if governments choose to establish immunity passports, notwithstanding all criticism.

The point that it is blockchain-based would assist in alleviating concerns of data privacy.

Dreyfus admitted that the solution is not perfect, but he thinks that there are currently no other options for fans to see their football games. “This is just a tool to ensure better safety in massive public venues,” he said in a statement.