Security Force of Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Concludes Preparations to Secure Tournament
Doha, January 11 (QNA) - The security force of the AFC Asia Cup Qatar 2023 has finalized the last details of implementing security plans aimed at ensuring the tournament's safety and adhering to the highest security and safety standards.
The high-level security preparations showcase the efficiency of the security personnel involved in securing the event, with the primary goal of ensuring the safety of all participants, allowing the audience to enjoy the tournament, and encouraging the support of their teams in a joyful atmosphere.
In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Interior outlined that the tournament's security force has devised security plans considering the nature of sports competition and the audience's desire for enjoyment. The plans focus on protecting the spectators and providing maximum security and comfort for all parties participating in the tournament.
The security force has ensured the security of teams from their arrival and at the accommodation facilities and competitive and non-competitive venues, as well as securing the teams transportation and ensuring the safety of spectators in the stadiums and everyone associated with the tournament. This includes electronic security, protection of information infrastructure, communication systems, and facilitating traffic flow, among other tasks.
With the start of the tournament's first matches, all elements of the security forces will be positioned in their designated areas, whether on the streets leading to the stadiums, in adjacent areas, or inside, to guarantee security, order, and ease for the audience and to reduce congestion at entry and exit gates and surrounding roads.
The Ministry of Interior stated that gates for spectator entry will open three hours before the start of any match. Security personnel will conduct inspections and verify security permits and entry tickets, utilizing electronic gates for individuals and inspection devices for bags and prohibited items entering the stadium.
The tournament security force emphasized adherence to specific criteria and requirements set by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regarding items prohibited from entering the stadiums. Guidelines have been provided, detailing what is allowed and what is prohibited from being brought into the stadium.
The tournament security force commended the significant understanding demonstrated by all those involved in the inspection process during the events and tournaments hosted by Qatar in the previous period, notably the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. This understanding greatly facilitated the procedures, minimized congestion at the gates, and highlighted the presence of assistance teams composed of private security personnel and volunteers providing necessary guidance to assist the audience when needed.
The tournament security force confirmed its keenness to include female police in securing the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, especially after it demonstrated a high level of performance in its assigned tasks as part of securing the World Cup FIFA Qatar 2022. The security force commended the continuous progress of the female police performance in previous sports tournaments and competitions, as it reflected an honorable image of the police work of inspecting the female audience in stadiums. This was possible through good reception, provision of the necessary instructions, and ensuring the protection of women's privacy during the inspection process.
The tournament force noted that Qatar's hosting of the Asian Cup is indicative of the rich experience accumulated by the security personnel who took part in securing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. This latter was a global security success, during which advanced security systems technology were employed, such as surveillance systems, control of the fans flow process, as well as various modern communication systems.
The security force stated that the use of modern, globally approved technological systems in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 stems from Qatar's unique approach to achieving the highest level of sports security for the safety and security of the tournament and its participants. The security plans set by the tournament security force rely on the deployment of security officers outside of the stadiums and along the perimeters during the tournament and providing sufficient personnel at all the entrances and exits to prevent access before the gates open. Traffic patrols will also be deployed in the streets and roads surrounding the stadiums, to implement the traffic plan, which will direct traffic movement before the start of any match and after its end, as well as make the necessary diversions if needed, and ensure the safety of fans using the subway.
The force explained that each of the stadiums includes a management room, and a security operations and control room linked to the Tournament Command Center (TCC) in the National Command Center (NCC), entrusted with directing the force's security operations in the event of congestion, assisting crowd movement, as well as fully securing the roads leading to the stadiums to facilitate traffic for the fans.
As for the security and safety procedures inside the stadium, the tournament security force has tested and experimented with all the security and safety systems inside the stadiums, and they have proven their effectiveness. Civil defense vehicles have also been provided to be used inside the stadiums in anticipation of any emergency and to put off the fire if it exists. Also, consideration has been given to implementing all the required standards and taking all necessary measures and procedures to make the Asian Cup a success. (QNA)
