The Safety and Security Operations Committee (SSOC) of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has confirmed its full preparedness to secure the tournament, in accordance with the highest international standards, and in line with the security requirements of FIFA, utilising the latest technologies and advanced security systems, and benefiting from Qatar’s experience with hosting major sport events.
This came in a report issued by the SSOC in which it shed light on the most important security preparations that have been completed, and the role of the security agencies that have started assuming their duties.
All the security authorities and the SSOC work in co-ordination and co-operation, the report said, with the aim of providing all means of security and maintaining the safety of the fans, players and international missions participating in the tournament.
The SSOC further affirmed that it will spare no effort to secure the World Cup, stating that the foreseen success of the tournament would be a continuation of the Qatar’s successive successes in hosting major sporting events and in the successful early preparations for the championship.
The SSOC also affirmed its keenness to efficiently implement plans to effectively and positively manage and respond to any incident related to the tournament, noting that these efforts stem from the Ministry of Interior (MoI)’s strategy (2018-2022) to securing Qatar 2022.
The tournament security strategy aims to achieve comprehensive security relying on local, regional and international partnerships as well as co-ordination between the concerned authorities in the country, with an emphasis on preventative security, exchange of information in law enforcement, assessment and dealing with threats.
The strategy further aims to highlight the role of the media in delivering messages on various platforms, including on social networks.
The security plans take into consideration the nature of sports competition and the fans’ entertainment.
The SSOC said the tasks of the security units cover securing the teams, fans, venues, means of transportation, and maintaining cyber security and safeguarding information infrastructure and communication systems.
The committee stressed that all security units will be in their allocated positions before the kickoff of the first matches of the tournament, whether on the roads leading to stadiums, at the gates or adjacent areas, or within the venues to ensure safety, security, and crowd control.
The SSOC indicated that the fans’ entry gates will be opened three hours before any match, and called on fans not to be late to avoid crowding and to ensure their comfort in the smooth access to their seats.
The committee said that security personnel will handle the security and verification of security passes and match tickets.
The SSOC will also use electronic gates and inspection devices for bags and banned materials in stadiums.
The committee affirms its confidence in fans’ co-operation with the security personnel, by adhering to the security measures and their co-operation during the exit and entry to the stadium.
The SSOC pointed out that there are assistance teams of private security and volunteers who will provide required guidance to help fans whenever needed.
The committee reiterated that it would utilise the best technological means to implement its security operations, reflecting the advanced level and expertise that Qatar has obtained to organise mega sports events.
The SSOC stressed that Qatar’s hosting of this global football event represents an accumulation of expertise for the security sectors involved in securing mega sports events, which include the use of advanced technological systems to, such as drones and robots, secure sports facilities.
The committee has been keen to employ security technology in sports security, learning from the experiences of leading countries in this field, as well as through partnerships with international institutions and organisations led by Interpol, in addition to FIFA.