How secure are sporting events? The UK recently held the Women’s Euro 2022 football tournament and Birmingham hosted the Commonwealth games,
two major sporting events that bring together people from nations from all continents of the world. However, such high-profile events can potentially provide an opportunity for those individuals or organisations seeking to promote a cause or ideology by violent or some other disruptive means. At the Munich Olympic Games in 1972, the Palestinian terrorist group ‘Black September’, killed 11 members of the Israeli team in what was the first attack of its kind. Since then, organisers of large-scale sporting events have been forced to take extraordinary measures to protect athletes and the public from terrorists.
Despite these security measures, bombings at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the 2013 Boston Marathon illustrated that large sporting events are still a prime terrorist target because of the higher number of people that such events attract. A small bomb left in a rucksack, for example, can result in a significant number of deaths or injuries. Protect Duty – known widely as ‘Martyn’s Law’, is due to be implemented into UK law in 2023. It comes in the wake of a number of terrorist attacks in public spaces across the UK most notably, the Manchester Arena bombing. Protect Duty aims to improve security in public spaces, protecting both visitors and staff from harm. This legislation will also apply to sports areas. There will be a legal requirement for organisations and owners to establish a framework that requires them to consider the threat of terrorism and implement appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures. They will also need to deliver an inspection and enforcement regime, which will seek to educate, advise the workforce and ensure compliance with the Protect Duty law.
Learn more about Martyn’s law & What this new bill means to you and your business? In addition to large crowds, major international sporting events provide would-be terrorists with something even more important, a worldwide audience. How secure are sporting events? What are the security threats? Download our Intelligence Report on how can the dangers be eliminated.
