Security and Sport
Security and sport have a complex relationship. Sporting mega-events such as the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup have become occasions of unparalleled economic, political and social significance. It is therefore no surprise that such events have been presented as arguably the most ‘ideal’ terrorist target in the post 11 September 2001 world. Furthermore, it is difficult to imagine any environment that is harder to secure than sporting mega events. We saw all of this in play with the recent London 2012 Olympic Games; an event involving more than 15,000 police, 13,500 defence and many thousands more contract security staff. The security of sporting events is therefore of paramount concern. However, we also see very public concerns of how security plays out within sport. The recent Organised Crime and Drugs in Sport report by the Australian Crime Commission makes this link quite clear. Our aim with this blog is to examine the relationship between security and sport, and to stimulate debate on these and many other issues.