« Our communities face an array of crime and security threats that can impact on major sporting events. » Jürgen Stock, Secretary General
As you are aware Paris is hosting one of the largest event in the world ; the 2024 Olympic Games. They will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024, The Games are about sports, a blend of cultural events, artistic programming, and various performances that create a one-of-a-kind experience. In the meantime that we are celebrating the games and our athletes, this event present several security challenges due to its scale.
Hosting a big sport event is challenging.
Paris 2024 Olympic ganmes will definitely face huge security challenges such as crowd management, public safety, terrorism threats, human trafficking, corruption, drug trafficking, cyberattack etc. High-profile events like the Olympics are potential targets for criminals.
In order to reduce the risk and provide a quick and effective response, it is crucial to all stakeholders to be well prepared for proactive and reactive actions.
In addition to the impressive deployement of security and army forces to ensure the safety of athletes, spectators, officials and sensitives areas against both domestic and international terrorist threats, it is important to set up a secure operational communication channel with some databases at the checking points. In other hand, sensitive information and personal data should be protected from cyberattacks as well as the security of the digital systems used for ticketing. An alerting effective system need to be active. Furthermore, diverse illicit traffic and particularly, trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced labor and forced criminal activities happen during major sport event. I am profoundly concerned and would like to mention that law enforcement official have critical role in these kind of situations and must proactively identify victims and in another hand, distinguish victims from perpetrators.
Given the scale of the event and the involvement of forces from all over the world, efficient coordination and cooperation are requiered. The event requires cooperation between multiple security agencies, including local, national, regional and international. Effective communication and coordination will be key to addressing security threats and emergencies. INTERPOL in its unique position provides to its members countries a tailored support ranging from capacity building, deployement of an incident response team and operational support with diverses databases.
INTERPOL plays a crucial role in the security of major sports events, including the Olympics, through International Coordination : Facilitates collaboration among law enforcement agencies from different countries to address transnational security threats such as :
– Intelligence Sharing : Provides a platform for exchanging intelligence on potential security risks, including terrorism, organized crime, and other threats.
– Criminal Investigation Support : Assists in investigations related to crime and terrorism that may impact the event, leveraging its global database and expertise.
– Security Planning and Advice : Offers guidance on security measures and best practices based on previous experiences and global security trends.
– Operational Support : Deploys specialized teams and experts to assist local authorities with security operations and emergency responses.
– Training and Capacity Building : Provides training for local law enforcement agencies on managing large-scale events and dealing with specific security challenges.
Interpol’s role in major sport event is to enhance global cooperation and ensure that security efforts are unified and effective.
I would like to extend my full support to my colleagues from France and all over the world involved in the security and safety of JO Paris 2024 to make this event successful. You are not alone.