LALIGA and the Red Cross organise the 1st Congress on Emergencies in Football Stadiums

LALIGA and the Red Cross have organised the 1st Congress on Modernisation and Emergency Management in Football Stadiums, which will be held today and tomorrow at RCD Espanyol's Stage Front Stadium in Barcelona. The event, which has the support of ONCE, AEMEF, Mossos D’Esquadra [Catalan police], Cornellá Urban Police, El Prat Local Police, the National Police, the Civil Guard and Ertzaintza [Basque police], will be attended by more than 200 people, including instructors, club staff and volunteers.

Representatives of other football associations, such as the Portuguese Football Federation, and members of the Technical Committee of Referees will also be in attendance.

The aim of this pioneering global event is to train emergency managers and club medical service teams to deal with crisis situations, and respond to emergencies, in compliance with current regulations, while at the same time improving prevention methods.

Víctor Martín, Chief of Cabinet of the LALIGA Presidency, said: “This congress will be a new milestone in terms of protection and emergency for clubs. Through the conference we are taking another step forward in crisis prevention at football matches, thus ensuring that fans can enjoy football in a safer and more secure environment”.

The congress was officially opened today by Mr. Antonio Balmón, Mayor of Cornellá de Llobregat, with the participation of Ms. Debora García, Deputy Mayor of El Prat de Llobregat; Mao Ye Wu, CEO of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona; Josep Quitet, Spain's National Vice President of the Red Cross; and Víctor Martín, Chief of Cabinet of the LALIGA Presidency. After the official opening, the following presentations are scheduled to take place.

-      Obligations of the organiser in the field of health prevention at football matches, by Esperanza Bernal Quirós Gómez, Director of Compliance and Internal Control at LALIGA.

-      Preventive health measures in football stadiums. Background and analysis, by Carlos del Valle Alonso, Director of Security, Integrity and Emergencies at LALIGA.

-      Regulations also matter, by Arturo Alonso and César Jesús Árias, from the Red Cross legal department.

-      The health care system: resources and scope, by Alejandro Fernández Muñoz, from the Red Cross Emergency Unit.

This will be followed by a round table discussion on Preventive Health Measures in Football Stadiums then, to close the day, two simultaneous events will be held: a security committee for the security directors of LALIGA clubs, and a workshop on advanced life support, given by the Red Cross, which is open to the rest of the attendees.

A simulation to lay the groundwork

Tomorrow there will be an emergency drill attended by all congress guests as well as volunteers from ONCE, the Red Cross, Mossos d'Esquadra, the National Police, local police plus actors, who will simulate a catastrophe during the course of a football match, including the entire process of crisis management, evacuation of victims and those present at the stadium. Additionally, UAB [Autonomous University of Barcelona] and UB [University of Barcelona] students taking security and emergency studies will act as observers of the drill.

The simulation will be coordinated by LALIGA and the Red Cross, which will set up a field hospital in the vicinity of RCD Espanyol's stadium and create the necessary spaces to attend to those ‘injured’ in the exercise.

As per Íñigo Vila, Director of Emergencies at the Spanish Red Cross: "Our contribution to the congress revolves around the sizing and correct execution of health operations at football matches. The planning and definition phase of expected risk procedures is essential, and the Red Cross has several tools for determining the size of the health facilities that are deployed during matches every weekend".

On behalf of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, its CEO, Mao Ye Wu, said: “The club is proud that the Stage Front Stadium will host the first ever Congress on Emergencies in Football Stadiums. Our stadium is not only an icon of sporting excellence, but also a fully equipped venue ready to host major events”.

The holding of the first edition of this Congress on Modernisation and Emergency Management in Football Stadiums is part of LALIGA's firm commitment to a safe competition that offers fans a controlled and protected environment.