LaLiga showcases security expertise at Sports Ground Safety Authority

LaLiga, a world leader for security and integrity, took part in a conference run by the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) in London on Monday, an event that explored, among other things, the effect of the terror threat on football stadiums. Alfredo Lorenzo gave a talk outlining Spanish football's efforts to keep improving on the security front in the light of last year's terrorist attacks in Paris.

LaLiga's director of integrity and security highlighted the new challenges that have arisen in relation to spectator safety following the Paris massacres last November. Lorenzo also discussed the conditions Spain's stadiums are in at present and the developments that have taken place since the 1980s. "Nowadays there is a very high level of security," he stated, "which is what allows football to be a family-friendly spectacle."

Lorenzo went on to note that it is an exacting task to "maintain this level of security in the face of new phenomena that make football a target, because of its mass appeal." He added that, "LaLiga works with clubs' security directors, the security forces and fans to make football safe for everyone."

During his talk, Lorenzo also revealed that football is included in Spain's national counter-terrorism plans due to the large crowds that it draws. "New security measures are required as a consequence of new, very real threats," he observed, going on to comment that the "ideal" scenario is to have "a long-term" security strategy in place around which "effective" procedures can be devised.