BRASILIA, Brazil – INTERPOL brought together security experts from Brazil, which recently hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and Qatar, host of the 2022 event, to share best practices on how to ensure security at major sporting events.
Through its Project Stadia, INTERPOL gathered Qatari police trainers and representatives from the Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy in Brazil for a debriefing session with senior commanders of the Brazilian Police, who were in charge of the national security operations during the 2014 World Cup.
The five-day debriefing mission (17-21 November) intended to capture Brazil’s expertise, best practices and lessons learned from hosting the event, to enhance Qatar’s efforts to ensure the highest level of security when that country hosts the 2022 World Cup.
"The successful experience of Brazil in integrating public security institutions with state-of-the art equipment, the latest technology and the training of public safety professionals serves as an example for future global sporting events," said Andrei Rodrigues, Special Secretary of Security for Major Events of the Brazilian Ministry of Justice.
"We are hoping to secure Brazil's role as a protagonist in security for large events," concluded Mr Rodrigues.
INTERPOL’s Project Stadia, developed in partnership with Qatar, aims to create a centre of excellence and a good practice platform to help INTERPOL’s member countries in planning and executing physical security and cybersecurity preparations for major global sporting events, culminating with the 2022 World Cup.
“Qatar is always investigating opportunities to gather good practice in all fields, including sporting event security. The 2022 World Cup will be a great opportunity to demonstrate how sharing information between INTERPOL’s member countries creates a vital flow of information that will help ensure successful policing operations in the future,” said Captain Nawaf Al-Ali, Company Commander of VIP Protection for Qatar’s Internal Security Force.
“Our debriefing with Brazil’s security experts will enhance the effectiveness of the safety and security measures which Qatar will put in place in 2022,” he added.
Through Project Stadia, INTERPOL is developing a state-of-the-art web-based knowledge management system to capture and record the learning accrued from the planning and execution of major sporting events. This centralized information hub will include a comprehensive knowledge repository of good practices in all aspects of sporting event security, as well as an online collaborative platform where experts in the field can share, discuss, analyse and publish information on the evolving aspects of major sporting event security.
“The effective management by Brazil of the 2014 FIFA World Cup will contribute valuable knowledge to this system. All INTERPOL member countries will benefit from this crucial expertise and knowledge on how to best organize an international major sporting event”, said Michael O’Connell, INTERPOL’s Director of Operational Police Support and Head of Project Stadia.
Aside from meeting with countries which have hosted successful major sporting events to gather knowledge, Project Stadia also includes a sports legislation working group to assist countries in developing effective legislative frameworks, and a cybersecurity experts group.