Interpol warns of growing terror and security threats at major sporting events

Terror and cyber-security threats to major global sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, are growing, according to Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock.

Speaking on the fringes of a security conference in the Qatar yesterday (8th November), Jurgen Stock said "a spectrum" of threats, which also included hooliganism, now existed for big sports events.

Stock told reports “it's a spectrum of threats and, unfortunately, these threats are increasing.

"It's getting more international and it's getting more complex and that requires more than ever that law enforcement agencies cooperate."

Stock cited recent threats to sports events including cyber-crime at the Rio Olympics, hooliganism at the 2016 European Championships and media reports about the risk of terror attacks at the World Cup next year.

The head of the International Criminal Police Organisation was a keynote speaker at the two-day Major Event Safety and Security Conference in the Qatar capital of Doha.

Also speaking was Hassan al-Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the body overseeing organisation of Qatar's 2022 World Cup.

He told those in the audience that Qatar would host a World Cup that is "robustly safe and secure". 

Image courtesy of Reddawn.

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