In 2015, the Spanish Professional National Football League issued a notification to its affiliated teams communicating the implementation of new regulations to increase security and the recognition of people in the so-called “fan stands”.
In spite of this regulation, at present, tickets are nominal and verified only in the visiting stands of the stadiums in Spain. That is why both La Liga and some police forces, such as the Ertzaintza in the Basque Country, have asked their clubs to start installing identification controls to comply with the regulations.
What is the law on the Fan Stand in football stadiums?
The regulation on the Fan Stand is a regulation that obliges first and second-division clubs in Spain to comply with certain requirements to maintain order and safety in stadiums. It is an adaptation to Law 19/2007 of 11 July, against violence, racism, xenophobia and intolerance in sport.
The aim of this regulation is to identify all fans attending these sectors of the stadiums so that, in the event of any type of infringement of the law, they can be distinguished for the corresponding defense.
What does it consist of?
The regulations include five points:
- The characteristics and location of the supporters’ stand: to determine the size, location and characteristics of these stands, which must be differentiated from the rest of the stadium’s sectors.
- The description of the biometric access project: incorporation of a biometric reading system in the access to the same, as well as the need to develop an internal regulation.
- The conditions to be included in the season ticket formalisation documents for these sectors, which include that access to this area can only be granted with a season ticket purchased and registered with the club, acceptance that the season ticket is non-transferable, the willingness to have more exhaustive identity checks, the display of supporting materials subject to the regulations and the penalties that a fan who does not comply with these requirements may face.
- Technical coordination between clubs and La Liga for the operation of this regulation.
- The processing of personal data, in accordance with the provisions of the Ley Orgánica de Protección de datos de carácter personal.
What is the aim?
The aim of this regulation is to achieve full identification of fans attending the supporters’ stands in order to avoid unwanted and unlawful situations that have been seen in and around football stadiums.
On many occasions, the individuals committing these offenses could not be identified and could not be banned from entering football stadiums. This regulation prevents those who have committed offenses on sports fields and have been sanctioned by the authorities from being kept away from sporting events, thus ensuring the safety of all.
How to comply with the regulations on the Fan Stands?
Veridas offers an access control system with biometrics that allows football clubs to comply 100% with the regulations, guaranteeing a comfortable and simple user experience for all its users.
This solution is already in operation in several Spanish LaLiga clubs such as Club Atlético Osasuna or Málaga Club de Fútbol.
