- Soccer violence sparked security alerts
- FAN ID emerges as a necessity
- Advanced biometrics as an alternative measure
- Regulation in public events
- User validation to prevent violence
The whole world was paralyzed by the shocking images reported from the stadium La Corregidora in Querétaro of the acts of violence registered in the stands, on the field and outside the stadium during the match between Gallos Blancos and Atlas.
The images shocked the world due to their brutality and alerted the Mexican Soccer Federation to the need to keep a record of those attending Liga MX matches to prevent acts such as the one that took place last Saturday, March 5 in Querétaro.
This is not the first time that the world has seen pseudo-fans fighting in the stands of a stadium; in Europe they experienced a crisis with Hooligans in the 80’s and the government adapted with existing technology to identify and expel violent fans for life. The lack of security in some countries allows these hooligans to gain ground and power by operating in the style of a mafia, controlling the resale of tickets, parking spaces and even the distribution of drugs in stadiums.
FAN ID arises as a necessity
A measure that adapts to the needs of today’s world is the creation of a registry of fans, with a biometric database that allows, by means of people detection software, to validate those attending massive events such as soccer matches.
The authorities of Liga MX and the Mexican Soccer Federation announced extraordinary measures to combat violence in stadiums by having a registry of the members of the cheering groups, initially, but which in the long term will make it possible to know the identity of all those attending a stadium.
This investment, budgeted at some 250 million pesos, will allow all first division clubs to have control of the members of their cheering groups.
The measure seeks to identify and organize the groups in Mexico, better known as barras, which they have been trying to regulate for years without success, and with measures such as the Fan ID they intend to have greater control in the Mexican soccer stadiums.
Advanced biometrics as a measure against insecurity in stadiums
Advanced biometric validation is an effective and internationally proven measure for the creation of a successful Fan ID. Unique and unrepeatable data of each human being that can serve as a record, not only for the entrance to stadiums, but also for massive events such as festivals and concerts.
That is why ReconoSER ID, has set its eyes on Mexico, to offer its user validation services biometrically and at higher levels such as documents, validation of INE, proof of address, passport, proof of life and other resources that the company has to give certainty to the authorities of the information of each fan attending a stadium.
The database can be crossed with those of national and even international security agencies to validate a person and ensure that he/she does not have a violent or racist background in public spaces or events such as soccer matches, whether Liga MX or the national team.
Regulation in public events
Nowadays there is no specific regulation in Mexico regarding authentication for entry to public events such as soccer matches or concerts and they will have to be very specific in the control they want to carry out, since a soccer stadium is attended by all kinds of people and in many stadiums in Mexico there are tourists who see soccer as a part of Mexican culture.
But just as in a stadium, concerts and festivals are also red-hot spots, not so much for violence, but for delinquency that takes advantage of the tumult of massive events in Mexico to get cell phones and wallets as their main booty.
There are constant reports at music festivals of the theft of cell phones, some of them worth more than 20,000 pesos, which are stolen by criminals without being detected by the authorities in many cases.
Validation of users against insecurity
The risks in public events are many, in Mexico all kinds of people converge in a concert or a soccer match and the mafias, from the traditional and unpunished scalpers to the violent events that could be observed in Queretaro, which alerted the population even more.
In concerts and soccer matches, drugs are distributed, a lot of money is collected, illicit, violent, and corrupt acts are committed, all under the eyes of the authorities who are unable to establish authentication protocols that allow for certainty of the attendees and their backgrounds.
The measures in Mexican soccer aim to better control the attendees, identify them, and report them to gradually expel the violent ones from the stands in Mexico, an interesting measure if the registration can be carried out with international standards of user validation.
Biometric validation is the future of security in stadiums in Mexico and the world, a measure adopted by financial technologies that may well serve a niche such as security at mass events.
Mexico is assigned to host the 2026 World Cup together with the United States and Canada, there is little time left and there is a lot of work to do if we want to arrive with a better image to the event that attracts the eyes of all the fans of the planet and advanced authentication is the way to achieve it.
By Alfredo Gutiérrez Bayardi
Bibliography
José Soto Galindo. (Marzo 2022). Reconocimiento facial en los estadios de futbol. Marzo 2022, de El Economista Sitio web: https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/opinion/Reconocimiento-facial-en-los-estadios-de-futbol-20220308-0114.html
Tania Suárez. (2022). La Liga MX implementará el Fan ID a partir de la próxima temporada. marzo 2022, de Marca Claro Sitio web: https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/futbol/liga-mx/2022/03/08/6227a498268e3e496a8b45d2.html
David Medrano. (2022). FMF y Liga MX invertirán alrededor de 250 mdp en FAN ID. Marzo 2022, de Récord Sitio web: https://www.record.com.mx/columnistas-david-medrano/fmf-y-liga-mx-invertiran-alrededor-de-250-mdp-en-fan-id
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Alfredo Gutiérrez Bayardi. (Marzo 2022). Medidas que tendría que tomar la FMF ante la violencia, pero no se atreve. Marzo 2022, de Para-Ganar Sitio web: https://para-ganar.com/lists/medidas-que-tendria-que-tomar-la-fmf-ante-la-violencia-pero-no-se-atreveSteve Saldaña. (Marzo 2022). El reconocimiento facial en estadios de México no acabará con la violencia del fútbol, pero sí va contra derechos humanos: especialista. Marzo 2022, de Xataka México Sitio web: https://www.xataka.com.mx/seguridad/reconocimiento-facial-estadios-mexico-no-acabara-violencia-futbol-va-derechos-humanos-especialista
