The Security Agencies’ Perspective

This chapter provides an overview of the context of sport event security and of the various types of security agencies, such as local, national, international, public, and private organisations, and other related stakeholders involved in the planning and hosting of sport events. Sports event stakeholders have developed sophisticated bid documentation and operation manuals to counteract the risks and dictate how security is to be managed. The implementation of policies and practices in relation to sport event security typically involves an exercise of power by one or more of the event stakeholders. A key role is played simply by the global circulation of public and private stakeholders in security matters, travelling from place to place and from event to event. Sport event security involves the establishment of strategic partnerships between various levels of security providers, event organisers, governments, local police, national forces, and international organisations such as INTERPOL.