Safety - Host City

HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein chairs FIBA Safeguarding meeting

[Source: Jordan Olympic Committee] A major step in FIBA’s efforts to advance its safeguarding and protection approach has been reached today, when the FIBA Safeguarding Council met for a final review of the new Safeguarding Policy. Having gone through extensive reviews by the Council members as well as relevant FIBA internal structures, the draft Policy will be presented for approval at the forthcoming meeting of the FIBA Central Board.

Discussing the significance of this first step, the Council members reiterated the importance this Policy will have in ensuring basketball is being accessed by anyone who wants to take part and enjoy the game: in a fair and equitable safe space, free from all forms of harm and abuse, regardless of playing level.

The Council, the majority of which is composed of independent members, has also looked at the steps that will follow Policy’s adoption later this year. HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, Council’s Founding Chairman, said: “FIBA moved fast to finalise its Safeguarding Policy, and is now ready to engage with its stakeholders, promote its safeguarding efforts, and contextualise and adjust practices that will protect not only vulnerable but all players and basketball participants, regardless of who or where they are. It is paramount for our Olympic and sport Movement to adopt such policies and standards, to follow FIBA and other stakeholders in making sure young people in particular are able to thrive while playing safe sport”.

FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis reiterated: “I have been delighted to welcome in the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball this important meeting of FIBA Safeguarding Council. We thank HRH Prince Feisal for leadership and members of this independent Council for their commitment, as we take full advantage of their analysis and recommendations”.

The six additional members of the Safeguarding Council include Slovakia's four-time Olympian Danka Bartekova, FIBA Americas President Carol Callan, international basketball star Astou Ndour-Fall, Romanian Basketball Federation President and FIBA Executive Committee Member Carmen Tocala, award-winning journalist Alan Abrahamson and FIBA Chief Operating Officer Patrick Mariller.

E-Bike Grand Prix hires global health and safety expert Richard Bate from Formula E

[Source: E-Bike Grand Prix (EBK GP)] E-Bike Grand Prix (EBK GP) is today announcing the appointment of Richard Bate, a global health and safety expert, to oversee delivery of the new international race series.

Richard joins from Formula E – a single-seater motorsport for electric cars – where he served as the Head of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE). During his tenure, Richard delivered the world championship for five consecutive years, and secured the ISO45001 – an international standard for health and safety.

Richard will lead HSE at EBK GP, in his role as Chief Safety Officer, bringing more than 30 years’ experience delivering successful international sporting events, including three Olympic Games and numerous cycling events including Tour de France. His career has also involved working in several other industries, including TV, film and music, having completed global tours and festivals with headline acts. In addition, Richard spent a decade working for the BBC on hit show Top Gear delivering safety on their live global stadium shows.

In his new role at EBK GP, Richard will oversee the delivery of all health, safety and environmental aspects of the race series, ensuring the first-class safety of competitors, staff, suppliers, guests and spectators. He will also be responsible for event permitting, construction safety, traffic management, fire and medical provision.

Richard will continue serving as Vice President of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the leading global organisation for health and safety professionals, and as Fellow of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM); an educational charity and professional body for those managing risk in all its forms.

Richard Bate, new Chief Safety Officer, said: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining E-Bike Grand Prix, which is a great opportunity to bring together my expertise in health and safety, sustainability and passion for cycling to creative better environment within the greater context of sustainability”.

Andy Moss, Chairman of EBK GP, added: “It is a huge privilege to have the calibre of Richard join our innovative new series. His experience in the world of sport and his enthusiasm for EBK GP will act as a further catalyst for the series’ success.

“Richard brings with him a wealth of knowledge that will not only ensure compliance and best in class safety levels, but also elevate the championship with world class operations”.

EBK GP is a new international cycling sport showcasing ground-breaking E-Bike technology while working with global host cities to raise awareness of climate change challenges, inspire citizens and promote cleaner, greener, healthier cities.

The appointment of Richard follows a spree of hires at EBK GP, including Sandy Ma joining as Chief Operating Officer and Mark Barfield as Director of Sport.

Due to begin later this year with a showcase event in Dubai, the EBK GP series will take place in 10 cities around the world across 2023. South Korea and the UAE have recently been confirmed as the first two countries participating in the global race series.

IF events and vaccination show Tokyo Games will be safe, says IOC President Bach

With global Covid-19 cases only recently starting to fall from their highest level, and with just 59 days to go to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the safety of participants is a matter of urgent global concern.

In his address to the SportAccord IF (International Federation) Forum, to which Host City was invited, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “Just like the athletes who are preparing for these Games with so much concentration and focus, we are also getting ready for this final sprint. In this final stretch our top priority continues to remain on organising a safe and secure Olympic Games for everyone – the athletes and all participants as well as our gracious hosts, the Japanese people.

“This is why, together with all our Japanese partners and friends,  we have put in place comprehensive Covid-19 countermeasures to ensure the athletes of the world can come together in  a safe environment for everyone.”

He referred to the recently updated Playbooks, which outline the responsibilities of all Games participants and the rules that must be followed.

“The Playbooks have been developed based on science, taking into account the latest medical expertise – and also built on experience from all of you, the IFs, who since last year have collectively organised more than 120 World Cups and World Championships with the participation of cumulatively more than 51,000 athletes.

“In doing so, you have demonstrated that sports competitions can be organised safely, even under current restrictions. This is why I’d like to thank all of you for leading the way in this respect. Your collective experience gives all of us confidence in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, because you gave proof that large international sports events can be organised successfully whilst safeguarding the health of everyone.

“And you accomplished this without having access to vaccination, from which we can greatly benefit at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.”

Bach highlighted offers from three vaccine producers to the IOC for Games participants. At least 70 per cent athletes and officials will be vaccinated before the Games, he said.

“We can only encourage all of you to continue these efforts, because vaccination is not only about protecting yourselves and protecting your athletes – it’s also a demonstration of respect and solidarity with our Japanese hosts.

“This is why I would like to say thank you to all of you for demonstrating in a great way that, whether in sport or in the many challenges of life, we are always stronger together.

“This is the lesson we have learned from the coronavirus crisis. We need more solidarity within societies and among societies. This lesson also applies to sports and sports organisations.”

 

The post-coronavirus world

“One thing is clear: the post-coronavirus world will need sport and its values,” said Bach. “The important role of sport in society is acknowledged in the meantime by the international community, from the UN to the WHO, the EU and many more. Numerous studies confirm the contribution of sport to promote physical and mental health, education, social inclusion, gender equality and many more.

“As countries round the world are starting the long journey of recovery, this IF forum sends an important message: sport and athletes everywhere are ready to contribute to rebuild a more human-centred and inclusive society.

“We at the IOC are happy to have such reliable partnerships with each of you, as we face not only the many challenges of this crisis but also, and even more, the opportunities it presents.

“So let us seize these opportunities, as we are used to in sport – giving it our best and embracing change.  In this Olympic spirit I wish you fruitful discussions and an excellent IF forum.”

A way back to safe choral singing

[Source: www.interkultur.com] This week we received good news from Dr. Tim Sharp, representatives of the United States in the World Choir Council: He joins noteablemask.com as a spokesperson and thus supports the way back to live rehearsals and performances.

“Now that a vaccine is available and we know the science, we need to get back to choral singing,” says Sharp. “Group singing is part of our very soul. This is why I am pleased to partner as a spokesperson with noteablemask.com – so we can return to live rehearsals safely.” 

Tim Sharp is the past Executive Director of the American Choral Directors Association and serves as Artistic Director of the Tulsa Chorale and as Director of Innovation at the Center for Community Arts Innovation in Nashville. He is on the Board of Directors for the International Federation for Choral Music and member of the Advisory Board of the World Choir Council.

Sharp is working with noteablemask.com in a campaign called “Join Your Voices,” which offers choral leaders a decision-making protocol with a responsible pathway for returning to live rehearsals and performances. The protocol is available as a free download at noteablemask.com/joinyourvoices   

In the return to live singing, individual face masks are critical. Such a face mask must capture the aerosol particles produced by a singer, but it must also allow a singer to inhale as freely as possible. 

According to Sharp, who has tried several singing masks, the Noteable mask is the one that provides the most viable option for group singing when used in conjunction with CDC guidelines. He is recommending Noteable as the face mask of choice for groups returning to live rehearsals. 

“When I heard that Tim Sharp had chosen our mask, I was thrilled,” said Tom Lough, inventor and developer of the Noteable mask. “We want to help with the safe return to live choral singing, and we are glad our mask and the ‘Join Your Voices’ campaign can be part of that recovery.” 

The Noteable singing mask has been independently tested by aerosol engineers at Colorado State University and Baylor University, and is made in the USA. For more information, see noteablemask.com.

COVID-19 barrier face covering launch aims to bring people back into events

[Source: AnyBrand] HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 Swiss based technology has been tested effective against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in the laboratory and the ISO tested 18184, which is added to the fabric during the final stage of the textile manufacturing process.

COVID-19 has been shown to spread through air-borne transmission. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that containing the virus at source and point of entry, with a face covering, significantly reduces this risk of contamination. HeiQ Viroblock treated materials destroy viruses on contact, significantly reducing the chance for re-transmission through touch, also increasing the effectiveness of face coverings by a factor of 20.

AnyBrand founder Colin Graham states:

“The new every-day problems we face need high tech and sustainable solutions. Partnering with HeiQ allows us to do this with a unique and invaluable edge.” 

“We don’t have the cure all solution, but we do have a ‘silver bullet’ that could make the all-important difference to minimise the social distancing requirement that has decimated the live events sector.”

“We believe our brandable face coverings present live events with a better chance of accelerating the reopening of its doors with higher capacity audiences, when used alongside other COVID-19 safety measures.”

Carlo Centonze, CEO of HeiQ Group, said: 

“We are pleased to partner with AnyBrand in the UK to develop life-saving products and applications for our technology.” 

The products are certified as safe and sustainable. All ingredients are cosmetic grade (INCI), bio-based, re-useable, lasting at least 30 gentle washes at 60°C, and recyclable.

The first face coverings have arrived in the UK this week and AnyBrand is geared up to deliver large quantities of a variety of specifically branded, reusable face coverings within weeks.

A strategic and practical view of safety for host cities

The success of any major tournament, and the reputation of the host city, is intrinsically linked to the safety of the venues. The UK is rightly seen as a beacon of excellence in sports grounds safety but it is true to say that this excellence has come at a heavy price: tragedies such as Hillsborough highlight how poor our sporting infrastructure and levels of safety management were.

Watching live sport is a thrilling experience and cities that are hosting major tournaments will want to be assured that the safety of all people within a venue is taken seriously. In this article we outline a strategic approach to safety and provide some detail on forthcoming guidance that will enable host cities to manage safety challenges in today’s world.

 

Strategic issues

Host cities should ensure, early in the development process, that they adopt an integrated approach to safety, security and service. What does this mean? It means that safety, security and customer services are recognised as interdependent and cannot be treated in isolation. Safety and security must never come at the cost of customer service.

Host cities will know that security and safety are critical factors; the attacks at the Stade de France in Paris, in November 2015 showed that major sporting venues and infrastructure are a target for terrorist activity. Furthermore, the 2017 attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, in which twenty-two were killed, demonstrated that whilst there is often vigilance and attention given to crowds entering a venue, there is often less attention paid on exit.

But what does customer service mean? It means ensuring that the experience of the visitor is also a priority and that safety and security do not come at the cost of a poor experience. Communicating effectively with spectators, for example on search regimes, will assist host cities to avoid crowd agitation.

One of the reasons that the London 2012 Olympics were so successful off the field was the presence of the volunteer ‘Games makers’ who were there to signpost and guide spectators around the Olympic Park and venue: a great example of an integrated approach.

 

Practical advice

The principles of an integrated approach are firmly embedded within the newly released 6th edition of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds. The Guide is used across the world by architects, stadium owners, host cities and venue managers to help design and refurbish stadium and operate major events in line with international best practice.

The Guide reflects today’s challenges. As examples of what is new compared to the previous 5th edition published in 2008, is guidance not only on evacuation in the event of an issue within the stadium, but also the principle of “exceptional egress” which may arise as a consequence of an external stimulus and may indeed involve internal movement or “invacuation” The full impact on the psychology of a large crowd in response to being held within a stadium is not yet known but we provide practical steps to take as this area continues to develop.

It also addresses the external factors that create interactions between the stadium, the spectators and the immediate environment, including local transport hubs (‘Zone Ex’). These external factors will be important for stadium owners and operators to consider as part of their overall event management strategy and integrated approach to safety.

In our work across the world advising on strategic safety challenges we often see stadiums that are built to a good standard, but deaths and serious injuries occur due to failings in safety management. It is hard to overestimate just what a positive impact a more strategic approach to safety management can have.

In summary, the safest venue is an empty venue, but nobody wants to see that. Adopting an integrated approach means not just recognising the skills and expertise from different parties in managing an event safely and being clear on the roles and responsibilities of each party, but in ensuring that each agency dovetails to provide a strategic approach to safety.

Further details on an integrated approach can be obtained via the Council of Europe. The Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA), as the world’s leading authority on sports grounds safety, are standing members of the committee. We advise governments, host cities, tournament committees and venues on best practice in venue safety management.