Sporting event security figures gathered at the French head offices of international police body Interpol to share best practices based on their experience in providing physical and cybersecurity at major sporting and other events.
The two-day (29 and 30 October) sports legislation expert group meeting brought together 14 from 10 countries to discuss security at large-scale sporting events, and how they have developed legal frameworks. The meeting was held under Interpol’s Project Stadia. Funded by Qatar, Project Stadia aims to create good practice to help member countries in planning and executing physical security and cybersecurity preparations for major sporting events. The ten-year project will culminate with the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Major Ali Abdulla Saad Al-Kuwari, Head of the Technical Section, Legal Affairs Department of the Internal Security Force of Qatar, said: “Project Stadia also encompasses many other components which will help us organize for the World Cup, such as developing a strategic training plan and a knowledge management system, as well as the support of two others expert groups active in the fields of venue security and cybersecurity.”
And Michael O’Connell, Interpol Director of Operational Police Support and Head of Project Stadia, said: “It is encouraging to see the positive support from our member countries in sharing their knowledge and good practices in the area of sports legislation and in working together to create a global approach to tackling the main challenges to event security.”
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Countries attending were: Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa and Switzerland. The expert group will meet on a yearly basis until 2022.
