8 Jun 2009Stadium safety a focus of FIFA and AFC workshop

Football Technology and Stadia

A joint workshop has been held by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in a bid to improve the safety of supporters inside football stadiums.

The workshop was held for National Security Officers in Asia to ensure that certain standards are met both inside and outside stadiums, reports the AFC website.

FIFA experts Walter Gagg and Adnan El Guindy were among the panel members at the workshop, with one of the key issues raised being the importance of ensuring officers are able to work full time and are fully qualified.

Al Guindy told the publication: "Although we know that stadiums are sometimes not controlled by Football Associations, there should be a proper balance between the facilities available and the spectators.

"If they cannot meet the requirements and if stadiums do not comply with certain standards, they will be banned from use."

A number of tragic occurrences have happened over time as a result of poor stadium safety, with the workshops being set up on the back of an incident that resulted in 19 deaths and numerous injuries when fans were crushed during a game between Ivory Coast and Malawi in March.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for enforcing the UK government's stadium safety policy, which includes making sure that grounds with a capacity of over 10,000 have gained a safety certificate from their local authority.

Written by Mark Thompson

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