|
|
Safety comes first at Standard Bank ODI's
UCBSA Press Release - 25 November 2002
The Standard Bank One-Day International matches between South Africa and Sri Lanka and South Africa and Pakistan this summer are being used as Pilot Projects for spectator safety systems which will be in place during next year's ICC Cricket World Cup.
The Wanderers Road Map
The intention of these spectator safety measures is to ensure that all cricket fans can enjoy the game at grounds around South Africa in a secure environment. It is also important to ensure that the small minority of cricket "fans" who indulge in anti-social behaviour which interferes with the enjoyment of other spectators, are not tolerated.
International best safety and security practice demands that SA complies with current world trends at major sporting events, particularly in the light of the overall security scenario post September 11 2001.
With trained Security Officers in place around the country, spectators can also expect courteous assistance from the time their car is parked until they return home after an enjoyable day at the cricket with their families and/or friends.
Current international stadium security benchmarks dictate the replacement of manual ticketing systems with automated electronic ones. The current world security environment has meant the introduction of magnetometers (metal detectors) at access points to international sporting events. Given these new access control procedures, and in order to make entry to the ground as painless as possible, certain items that SA spectators have traditionally brought to cricket will not be allowed during CWC 2003 or during the Pilot Project matches. A comprehensive list of prohibited and restricted items
has been published previously and is summarized on the accompanying page.
For example, no hard cooler-boxes, portable braais, deck-chairs or beach umbrellas will be allowed. No drinks whatsoever may be brought in. However, it's important to note that prohibited items will be provided inside the ground. Drinks can be bought at reasonable prices, braais will be available in designated areas and Standard Bank are generously providing large
umbrellas for shade inside the grounds, especially for grass embankments.
The sale of liquor inside stadia will be limited to two 500ml draught beers in plastic glasses per person or two 200ml wine in plastic glasses per person per vendor visit. No hard liquor may be sold to spectators. Public bars will have a mandatory shut-down period between 13:00 and 14:30 during Day matches (16h00-18h00 for Day/Night matches) in an attempt to control the levels of inebriation within cricket stadiums.
Security Officers will for the first time be supported by digital CCTV surveillance cameras, with recording back-up inside and outside the grounds, plain clothed "spotters" amongst spectators, a high visibility police presence - all coordinated from a state-of-the-art Venue Operation Centre (VOC) in an effort to provide and facilitate pro-active security responses
to prevent poor crowd behaviour incidents tarnishing South Africa's image.
Traffic flow information is available to all media to inform the public about traffic-free areas during the Standard Bank One-Day Internationals between South Africa and Sri Lanka this week. The Wanderers Map regarding traffic information at The Wanderers on Wednesday is published for spectators convenience.
PROHIBITED AND RESTRICTED ITEMS
Dangerous weapons
No dangerous or potentially dangerous weapons (including realistic toys or replicas thereof) such as firearms, ammunition, knives (of any form or description), sharp instruments of any description, nunchaku sticks, baseball bats, traditional weapons etc shall be permitted to be brought onto the stadium grounds. This is absolutely necessary to ensure the
safety and security of all persons as well as the prevention of injury or harm to any person, within the stadium or its precincts.
Fireworks
No fireworks shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium in order to ensure the interests of the safety and security of all persons within the stadium. Their nuisance component as well as a potential fire hazard is also thereby neutralized.
Explosives
No explosives or detonators shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium in the interests of the safety and security of all persons as well as the prevention of injury or harm to any person, within the stadium or it's precincts.
Incendiary devices
No highly flammable items and in particular incendiary devices shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium. This is in the interests of the safety and security of all persons within the stadium. A potential fire hazard is also similarly neutralized.
Flares
No flares shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium in order to promote the interests of the safety and security of all persons within the stadium. A potential fire hazard is also neutralized.
Narcotics (other than prescribed)
No narcotics (other than as prescribed by a registered medical practitioner and supported by a valid prescription) shall be
permitted to be brought into the stadium grounds. The illegal possession of narcotics constitutes a criminal offence.
RESTRICTED ITEMS
Cool drinks, bottled water & other non-alcoholic beverages No person entering the stadium shall be permitted to bring in any form of cold-drink, bottled water or any other non-alcoholic beverage, no matter what container it is contained in. Host venues will ensure that an appropriate number of fixed and hygienic complimentary cold-water dispensers are located throughout the stadium. In addition, cool-drink prices will be subject to "fixing" at reasonable levels. There will be discretion as far as special diabetic cold-drinks are concerned, subject to then not being in hard containers (e.g. bottles & cans).
No person entering the stadium shall be permitted to bring any form of alcohol (beer, wine or spirits) into the stadium. Beer and wine will be on sale in the stadium.
No animal, with the exception of a certified guide dog accompanying a blind person entering the stadium shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium grounds.
No balls, Frisbees or other similar sporting/recreational items shall be permitted to be brought onto the stadium grounds. The only exceptions to this policy are cricket bats in order to promote the culture
of cricket amongst younger spectators and "soft" cricket balls. Where possible designated areas are to be set aside for youngsters to play during breaks of matches.
Banners and flags, not supported by flag-poles, sticks or other means of support (exception wooden doweling not more than 10mm in diameter and a maximum of 1.5 meters in length) will be permitted to be brought onto the stadium grounds subject to the following restrictions:
- Banner or flag size limited to 1,5 metres wide by 1 metre high
- Banner wording to be tasteful, non-offensive, non-vulgar, non-political, non-racial, non-discriminatory, non-sexual and may not display advertising which may in any way impinge or will be in conflict with the rights of the sponsors of the event (in any language). Old SA flags are not permitted.
Any signs or items with corporate branding other than official sponsors/vendors. Deliberate ambush marketing that would be seen as impacting negatively on sponsors/approved vendors advertising and sales rights will not be permitted.
No bicycles, scooters, skateboards, skates including in-line skates will be permitted to be brought into the stadium given their potential nuisance and possible injury to other spectators and the additional safety risk posed by having these items in the stadium in the event of an emergency situation.
No media equipment may be brought into the stadium by persons other than duly accredited media representatives. This is to prevent unauthorized and unaccredited broadcasts or other media coverage of the event which would contravene the rights of accredited broadcasters and media.
No air horns, lasers, light emitting strobes, trumpets, drums, musical instruments, or similar items that may cause a nuisance to other spectators or players shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium.
No cans, bottled water, bottled minerals, glass containers, or other glass items (other than spectacles/sunglasses/binoculars) shall be permitted to be brought onto the stadium grounds.
No mace or similar self-defence sprays shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium.
No compressed gas canisters, aerosol cans (including but not limited to deodorant, cooking spray, paint, etc) shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium. It is proposed that the venues ensure that deodorant is made available in the public facilities within the stadium precincts in order to ensure that members of the public are not inconvenienced.
No chemicals of whatsoever nature shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium with the exception of valid & documented deliveries.
With the exception of duly accredited media or broadcasters, no person may bring video cameras or large flash cameras onto the stadium grounds. Cameras with small built-in flashes will be permitted in order to promote the culture of cricket and in order to allow spectators to record personal mementos of this landmark event.
Small transistor radios may be brought into the stadium grounds as long as they are utilized in conjunction with an ear piece. However, no large radios, CD's, tape players or TV's of whatsoever nature shall be permitted to be brought onto the stadium grounds.
No portable braais or gas braai equipment of any nature shall be permitted in the stadium precincts. Properly equipped, supervised and dedicated braai areas will, where possible, be arranged by the venues to facilitate patrons being able to braai meat brought by themselves or purchased from stadium vendors within the grounds.
No hard (including polystyrene) cool boxes of whatsoever nature will be permitted to be brought into the stadium grounds or precincts. However soft cool bags with a maximum size of 600mm x 300mm will be allowed for the purposes of bringing in food only. These cool bags will be subject to thorough searches by security personnel at designated search
points. The motivation for the rule on hard cool boxes relates to the potential risk of concealment of prohibited and restricted items therein, the space taken by these boxes in the stadium (nuisance aspects) and the additional risk this would pose in the event an of emergency evacuation.
No deck chairs, umbrellas, gazebos or similar objects may be brought into the stadium grounds. The presence of such items in the stadium ground is considered an unnecessary risk by way of creating obstacles in the event of an emergency situation arising. The nuisance aspect is also a factor. Likewise such items can also potentially be used as weapons by
unruly crowd members. It is recommended that that the tournament marketing team arrange to provide, free of charge, fixed umbrellas, open-sided gazebo's (where appropriate) as well as fixed and mobile sunscreen dispensers in order to protect spectators from the ravages of the sun.
No "dangerous" goods or items shall be permitted to be brought into the stadium in the interests of the safety and security of all persons within the stadium.
© United Cricket Board of South Africa
|
|
|
