ICSS Signs MoU with Germany's Institute for Fan Culture

Doha, March 15 (QNA) - The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Germany's Institute for Fankultur (IfF) or Institute for Fan Culture (ItF) at its second annual conference at the Qatar National Convention Centre. The MOU and research venture is part of the ICSS's ongoing work to develop and share knowledge within the field of sport security and will actively involve fans from a variety of social groups, as well as leading sporting organizations and security experts, to determine why fans exhibit extreme behaviour within a sporting environment, and what can be done to proactively reduce such behaviour at sporting events. Speaking after the signing of the MOU with the ItF, ICSS President Mohammed Hanzab said,"Today's presentations and recent events in Egypt have tragically reminded us of the critical importance of hosting safe sporting events. "The ICSS is committed to enhancing safety and security in the world of sport and this new project is a critical step towards our goal of becoming a global hub for sport security expertise. I look forward to working with the team at the ItF and the University of Wurzburg in the coming months. "Our research collaboration will provide an important step in understanding sports fans around the world and what influence politics and society have on their behaviour today." The ItF is a new academic institution led by Professor Harald Lange from Department of Sport Science at the Julius Maximilian University, Wurzburg, and Co-Founder Martin Thein. Its international experts carry out research that explores the psychology and behaviour of fans around the world in an effort to understand the causes of violence and hooliganism at sporting events and what can be done to proactively reduce such behaviour at sporting events. ItF Professor Harald Lange said, "The IfF brings together leading academics from the field of sociology, political science, criminology and social psychology as well as sporting experts. Our new partnership with the ICSS is an important step in helping us to understand and address fan violence and extremism at major events." The two-day Second International Sport Security Conference brought together over 300 key decision-makers, experts and practitioners in sport from around the globe. Delegates were today presented with the panel: Taking a Stand: Addressing Hooliganism and Violence in Football. This session was addressed by President of the Egyptian Professional Footballers Association and Board Member of the Egyptian Football Association Magdy Abdel Ghany who has been at the forefront of calls to make football safer to help prevent tragedies such as the one at Port Said in January this year. He was joined on the panel by Former Vice Chairman of the Football Association David Dein, one of the founding architects of the Premier League in England, who presented a new documentary on the formation of the Premier League and measures taken to improve the safety and security of fans at stadia across England. The conference session also heard from ICSS Executive Director and Head of Security for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany Helmut Spahn who has over 30 years’ experience in security, specialist training, stadium and crowd management. Spahn said, "There is an essential need to understand the thinking and motivation of different fan groups. Knowing why violence and misbehaviour occurs is the single most important factor in helping us create successful concepts to prevent them. Fan culture differs by sport and by global region this is why research in field of fan culture is necessary. Of course, knowledge of fan culture and how best to address violence, will only work effectively alongside well-designed infrastructure and first-class safety and safety and security management." (QNA)