LYON, France – Experts from law enforcement, international organizations and sports bodies have gathered to review and share best practices to mitigate potential threats facing major sporting events.
Under the auspices of Project Stadia, participants at the 1st Specialized Expert Group Meeting on International Police Cooperation (4 – 7 November) discussed best practices and lessons learnt in information sharing between key actors such as host entities, organizers, police and the private sector.
The meeting aimed to strengthen the capabilities of law enforcement and first responders in providing sport venue safety and security by reviewing the role of information channels for data exchange at international major sports events, and better understanding key related challenges.
With the meeting held under the theme of International Police Cooperation Mechanisms for Major International Sporting Events, the role of INTERPOL’s global policing capabilities and International Police Cooperation Centres in supporting and enhancing international police cooperation before and during major international sporting events was high on the agenda.
"In a challenging international context marked by evolving security concerns, INTERPOL’s Project Stadia aims to deliver excellence in major event security by drawing on a range of expertise to ensure major events remain safe and secure to protect the public and competitors,” said Falah Abdulla Al-Dosari, Senior Project Manager, Project Stadia.
Established by INTERPOL in 2012 and funded by Qatar, Project Stadia organizes expert group meetings on venue security, legislation and cybersecurity to develop independent recommendations for planning and executing security arrangements for major international sporting events.
The meeting brought together 14 participants from Australia, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of South Korea, Romania, Spain, as well as the Council of Europe, FIFA and UNODC.