On 5 December 2024, an awareness-raising workshop on safety at sports events was organised in the framework of the joint European Union - Council of Europe project “Balance S4”. The workshop took place at a unique location: the Stade de la Meinau, home of the Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (RCSA), a club competing in the French first division football league. The stadium, currently in rehabilitation, is set to open to a new maximum capacity of 32,000 spectators in 2027 (compared to the current 27,500).
In collaboration with the Eurométropole de Strasbourg, the RCSA, and two of the architects in charge of the stadium project, the workshop aimed at raising awareness of the importance of safety measures at sports events, using the Stade de la Meinau as a case study.
This workshop offered participants the chance to visit the stadium, observe completed and ongoing renovation works and discuss safety-related topics, exploring the challenges encountered and solutions found.
During the event, the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) presented the first results of a questionnaire on existing safety and service arrangements distributed in seven countries parties to the Saint-Denis Convention. In the next phase, the questionnaire will be circulated to all Council of Europe member states, with data to be collected and analysed.
Four experts from Her Game Too (HGT), the International Federation for Sports Officials (IFSO), Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and UEFA discussed the key topic of changing demographics. They addressed design considerations for embracing safety and service, as well as challenges and solutions related to the safety of supporters – with a focus on women supporters –, and sports officials at sports events. Additionally, they examined the accessibility of sports venues for persons with disabilities.
This second Balance S4 Awareness-Raising Workshop gathered 38 participants from 19 countries, demonstrating the strong interest from parties and observers to the Saint-Denis Convention in strengthening the safety and service pillars.
A significant step forward in ensuring safer and more welcoming sports events, highlighting that #SportWelcomesAll!
