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Select Committee · Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Safety at major sporting events

Status: Closed Opened: 8 Jul 2022 Closed: 8 Mar 2024 14 recommendations 9 conclusions 1 report

MPs are to examine issues around the safety of spectators at football matches and other major sporting events following the scenes and problems experienced by crowds at recent high-profile games. The DCMS Committee inquiry will consider whether crowd management policies at stadiums in the UK are sufficient to maintain spectator safety and what steps can … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - Safety at major sporting events HC 174 29 Dec 2023 23 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
6 Conclusion First Report - Safety at major sporting… Accepted in Part

Inadequate reported data hinders tackling discrimination and antisocial behaviour at sporting events.

We have repeatedly heard of the discrimination, anti-social behaviour and hate crime that occur at sporting events, particularly football. However, the lack of reported data on this topic makes it difficult to assess the scale of the problem, and for police and sporting bodies to tackle issues where they arise … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government recognised the importance of data collection and outlined existing systems like True Vision for reporting hate crime. It also mentioned a developing digital portal for reporting anti-social behaviour and recent efforts to address online abuse, partially addressing the concern about a lack of …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
7 Recommendation First Report - Safety at major sporting… Accepted in Part

Work with police and sporting bodies to introduce centralised reporting for discrimination at events.

We recommend that the Government work with police and sporting bodies to introduce on a centralised system to report and record discrimination and antisocial behaviour at sporting events. (Paragraph 40) Safety at major sporting events 33 Alcohol and drug use at sporting events Read more

Government response AI summary
The government stated it is developing a digital one-stop-shop portal for reporting anti-social behaviour, and highlighted the existing True Vision online system for reporting hate crime, partially addressing the recommendation for a centralised reporting system.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
14 Mar 2023 Adam Conant · Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP · Department for Culture, Media and Sport View ↗
19 Jan 2023 Bob Eastwood · English Football League, David Armstrong · Racecourse Association, Liam Boylan · Wembley Stadium, Phil Davies · England and Wales Cricket Board View ↗
8 Nov 2022 Chief Constable Mark Roberts · National Police Chiefs' Council, Martyn Henderson OBE · Sports Grounds Safety Authority, Michelle Russell · Security Industry Authority, Peter Houghton · Football Safety Officers Association View ↗
25 Oct 2022 Dr Stacey Pope, Kevin Miles · Football Supporters' Association, Owain Davies · Level Playing Field, Professor Clifford Stott MBE, Professor Geoff Pearson, Tony Burnett · Kick It Out View ↗

Who gave evidence

16 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Adam Conant · Deputy Director, Head of Sport Department for Culture, Media and Sport 1
Bob Eastwood · Head of Security and Safety Operations English Football League 1
Chief Constable Mark Roberts · Lead for Football Policing National Police Chiefs' Council 1
David Armstrong · Chief Executive Racecourse Association 1
Dr Stacey Pope — 1
Kevin Miles · Chief Executive Football Supporters' Association 1
Liam Boylan · Stadium Director Wembley Stadium 1
Martyn Henderson OBE · Chief Executive Sports Grounds Safety Authority 1
Michelle Russell · Chief Executive Security Industry Authority 1
Owain Davies · Chief Executive Level Playing Field 1
Peter Houghton · Director of Operations Football Safety Officers Association 1
Phil Davies · Head of Safety and Security England and Wales Cricket Board 1
Professor Clifford Stott MBE — 1
Professor Geoff Pearson — 1
Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP · Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society Department for Culture, Media and Sport 1
Tony Burnett · Chief Executive Kick It Out 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
22 Nov 2022 To cttee Letter from Martyn Henderson OBE, Chief Executive, Sports Grounds Safety Author…