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Leading figures in sport from around the world gathered in Vienna yesterday for the start of the 2013 ICSS Security Expert Summit, staged by the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS), with the support of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Austria. |
The two-day event will see sport security experts - including organising committees, government bodies, event and stadia owners, football clubs, security practitioners and academics - explore issues and challenges in sport security, safety and integrity.
Speaking on the oocasion President ICSS Mohammed Hanzab said, “As recent events have shown, the challenges facing sporting event organisers are real, diverse and evolving. With many of the world’s leading security experts attending, the 2013 Security Summit will feature open and honest discussion, advance thinking and provide an opportunity for leading international practitioners to develop tangible solutions in sport security.
As part of our commitment to sharing knowledge and best practice, we will be combining the results and recommendations in a report to share with experts around the globe.”
Austria’s State Secretary for Integration Sebastian Kurz said, “Major sporting events such as the UEFA EURO 2008 or the annual Vienna City Marathon pose a challenge to many stakeholders when it comes to ensuring the security of participants and visitors.
However, these major sporting events are also joyous encounters of intercultural exchange. Through organising such events, integration of best practice must become visible and palpable. With events of this kind, security must take top priority.”
Executive Director ICSS Helmut Spahn said, “Every sporting event is different and has its own unique set of security challenges. At the 2013 ICSS Security Expert Summit, we will explore a range of issues and challenges currently facing major event organisers in sport, including live sites, crowd management and stadia design, as well developing real solutions and frameworks, like the ICSS’s Security, Safety, Integrity (SSI) model, that can be applied to events in the future.”
