Experts from the Standing Committee on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in particular at Football Matches (T-RV) paid a two-day visit to Poland. They talked to Polish organizers of EURO 2012 about the safety and security of the tournament. The delegation also watched a friendly match between Poland and Ivory Coast in Poznań and checked safety and security systems that are in place at the stadium, which will soon be used for the European Championships.
The chairman of the Standing Committee on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events (T-RV) is Paulo Gomes, who was responsible for safety and security of European Football Championships in Portugal in 2004. Now he can share his experience with Polish organizers. The delegation to Poland included also Ana Criado-Conteras, Elisa Cozza, Pierre Masson, Martin Girvan and Kenneth Scott. The members of the Committee visited Poland in order to provide advice and evaluation of safety and security systems introduced for EURO 2012.
On 16 November the following persons attended the meeting with the T-RV experts at the headquarters of the Polish Olympic Committee: Adam Rapacki, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Tomasz Półgrabski, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, as well as representatives of the Police, Polish Football Association and EURO 2012 Polska. The talks focused on the development of professional stewarding (information and law enforcement services deployed by the organizers of a match), which will make it possible to increase security among all football fans during the tournament.
During the discussion Minister Tomasz Półgrabski drew attention to numerous initiatives launched by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, e.g. construction of football fields (the so called Orlik initiative) for children and teenagers, as well as prevention programmes for football fans, which will without a doubt have an indirect effect on the level of security at the Tournament.
Minister Rapacki underlined the significance of changes to the security situation resulting from the implementation of the new act on safety and security of mass sports events. The Act lays down specific obligations and rights of the organizers of matches in terms of the provision of safety and security to fans and sportspeople. In accordance with the provisions of the Act it is the organizer that is responsible for the provision of security at the event. The information and security services (stewards) play here an important role. Minister Rapacki also emphasized the role that the Council for the Security of Sports Events plays in the coordination of preparations of all services and institutions responsible for safety and security during the Championships.
On 17 November representatives of the Standing Committee of the Council of Europe paid a visit to the stadium in Poznań, where they watched a friendly match between Poland and Ivory Coast.
The operation of the Standing Committee on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events (T-RV) is focused on development of legal regulations imposing an obligation on the organizer of the event to undertake maximum safety and security measures to create safe participation conditions for football fans. Security of sports events is regulated by the European Convention no. 120 on Spectator Violence and Misbehaviour at Sports Events and in Particular at Football Matches.
The Committee provides guidelines on the organization of football tournaments, which focus mainly on such issues as preventing dangerous objects from being carried into stadiums, as well as the requirements of providing special rooms to police officers and guards working at the event. Special attention is paid to the organization of safety and security services, fire protection, medical care and communications.
Source: http://www.mswia.gov.pl/portal/en/1/638/EURO_2012_safety_and_security.html
