Security Procedures Fail Again

[mack]

Security intransigence once again threatened the safety of supporters, this time at the Wanderers vs Wellington pre-season friendly.

 

The WestSydneyFootball Facebook page contains an album of pictures from last night, that includes pictures of the conditions and facilities last night.

 

The only negative from last night's friendly against the Wellington Phoenix was another poor display of crowd safety from ground security, following a crowd crush at the A-League Grand Final last season. First of all, the RBB was originally locked into a section ground with limited portable toilets, no access to the stadium canteen. The club recognised this was inadequate for the numbers that were expected to turn up, and discussions between several high level officials including Lyall Gorman saw access from the RBB section to the club facilities.

 

As the stadium began to fill, security began to direct spectators with general admission tickets into what was supposed to be the active support section. The usual issues between active and non-active support unfortunately paled in comparison due to the dangerous situation caused by the numbers of RBB & GA ticket holders filling the area. The seating arrangements were woefully inadequate for such a high demand fixture and included a very odd configuration of temporary plastic fencing that held together by zip ties to protect a 2 meter fall onto the metal fencing. The now opened to GA section became dangerously crowded and several people fell or were pushed by the movement of the crowd, although I have no reports of any injury to spectators.

 

Security initially refused requests to open the area behind the goals, an action which would have alleviated the crush, until the sheer weight of numbers packed into the small area in the corner forced the police & security into action. I believe the Wanderers officials played their part in preventing a major accident by persuading security to open the gates, and if so I applaud them yet again for taking action where security would not.

 

The FFA must review their security and ticketing procedures in the wake of this disgrace. If they continue to allow security to ignore crowd crush situations then one day an incident will occur and there will be injuries or worse. Another apathetic response to a crowd crush also concerns me as to what would happen in the event of an emergency requiring an evacuation and/or the movement of people from one section to another.

 

If there is any information from the club in regards to the situation off the pitch I will update the post with that.

 

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[nl689]

Spot on mack! 

 

The security detail ought to be disgraced. It is a disaster waiting to happen and i just feel that once a disaster occurs itll be a case of 'if only we had done something sooner'

 

Frustrating isnt it

[Erebus]

You're wrong. If a disaster were to occur it will be "sokkah thugs riot and cause injury to innocent families"

[WanderingEel80]

Well said Mack... Like I tweeted in the end commonsense and people power won last night.

Steve mortada

[Kraken]

You're wrong. If a disaster were to occur it will be "sokkah thugs riot and cause injury to innocent families"

 

^^^ this

[CMontgomeryBurns]

Self-policing is the best way...But tell that to coppers. They want nothing but absolute control.

[BigDukes]

not so sure it was club officials who ended up convincing the stadium to open the gate behind the goal. If anything it was the RBB's talk with the head police officer on the night which prompted it to be open ASAP.

[nl689]

You're wrong. If a disaster were to occur it will be "sokkah thugs riot and cause injury to innocent families"

 

Had a good chuckle at that. Very well said!!

[Drone]

Well handled boys. Most of us in the main stand side didn't have a clue what was going on.

[westofcentre]

This is a serious issue guys. If it isn't addressed something untoward is going to happen.

 

The GF showed security planning is not up to scratch. Whoever organised it showed a lack of knowledge an anticipation.

 

The crush at GF was getting that bad that I was having trouble breathing as people pushed up against me. We had to shield a few girls from getting trampled on.

 

So far it seems we have only been a whisker away from something serious happening.

Edited August 22, 2013 by westofcentre

[Davo]

The irony is that fans have been banned for acts which are considerably less likely to cause injury or death than some of the mistakes that security have made.

 

It's especially frustrating when issues like this (especially last night) could have easily been prevented by simply talking to representatives of the supporters group.

[dmixtaaa]

Homework needs to be done. I was fortunate enough to be on the other side in the stand last night but it didn't look safe/good from where I was. It brought back memories of last years GF when I was terrified not for myself but my wife and 2 year old in the pram I was trying to protect, whilst we were herded like cattle through a singular gated section. This needs to be addressed at the highest level before someone gets seriously hurt.

[Legionista]

Why are these security procedures necessary?

[matty]

Because there's a large public gathering?

 

What are you getting at?

[Hughesy]

Why are these security procedures necessary?

i can see what you're saying when you consider that most of the time any problems that arise are solved by people related to the event/self policing, perfect example last night the RBB and club officials talking to police to open the gate. These security guards are a few bricks short of a slab thats why they're doing this and not accounting, hence their lack of common sense. Crowd control in general is crap in this country

[JohnG]

^^^^^^ Summed up my chosen career where I work at management level on a six figure salary very well. I've spent the last ten years travelling the world doing what I do.....but yeah, I really aspired to be an accountant.

[That70sDude]

Why are these security procedures necessary?

 

Because so many people can't ****en behave, mate. Gonna take a year or two of perfect behaviour before people start trusting the good old black and red after last season's silliness.

[Unlimited]

 

Why are these security procedures necessary?

 

Because so many people can't ****en behave, mate. Gonna take a year or two of perfect behaviour before people start trusting the good old black and red after last season's silliness.

 

 

And this pre-season's silliness...

[westofcentre]

Funny how certain relatively trivial things which I wont go into lead to severe punishments, yet something as potentially serious as mass injuries and even worse hardly raise an eyebrow. 

[redandblack]

They lack the cultural understanding.

 

These people don't consider the repercussions because they genuinely don't understand our expectation of support and think that anything further than the "spectator" culture Australia is so used to is merely anti-social.

[westofcentre]

They lack the cultural understanding.

 

These people don't consider the repercussions because they genuinely don't understand our expectation of support and think that anything further than the "spectator" culture Australia is so used to is merely anti-social.

 

Agree - problem is their lack of foresight and ability to manage football crowds will sooner or later lead to something serious. 

[redandblack]

Definately. And then closely followed by the headline "Soccer violence leads to tragedy".