January 12 – Security in stadiums must be improved and sanctions strengthened to deter physical and verbal abuse of footballers, according to a survey by the players’ union Fifpro.
A new report suggests this is a bigger concern than many might think.
Sixty-three per cent of the 41 national unions surveyed said the standard of security guards and stewarding was not high enough and needed improving, with 71% saying security checks on supporters entering stadiums were inadequate.
Sixty-eight per cent said technology in stadiums which could help identify perpetrators, such as CCTV and facial recognition tools, was insufficient, while 56% said there were too few security guards and stewards present on match days.
A majority said failure to properly sanction individuals was a contributing risk factor to further incidents of abuse.
Commenting on the report, Alexander Bielefeld, Fifpro’s director of global policy and strategic relations for men’s football, said: “We cannot continue to allow a culture in which footballers are the victims of unchecked and normalised aggression in their working environment: on the pitch, during team travel, at training grounds, official events, and in their private lives.
“Given the mounting levels of violence, it is important football stakeholders, social partners and public institutions increase co-operation to identify measures that ensure the safety of players, staff and spectators.
“Clubs, leagues, and federations have a responsibility to ensure that players, as employees, have a safe working environment to perform at their peak.”
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