Ensuring the Security of Participants in Mass Sports Events by Monitoring Their Behaviour and Identifying Them on the Basis of Photographic and Video Material

Ensuring the security of participants in mass sports events is an undertaking that requires many coordinated actions to be taken not only by the organizer of the event, but also by public administration institutions. Currently, an increasing number of locations has video surveillance, which is mandatory for sports stadiums in accordance with sports regulations. Cameras are supposed to not only deter those who could potentially violate the law, but also to provide evidence as to the circumstances and perpetrators of such violations. The aim of this publication is to show how the image recorded by CCTV is turned into evidence, which is then used in court proceedings. The authors addressed the above mentioned issues using examples related to the security of those who participate in sports events. They focused on discussing themes related to recognition, identification and biometrics, i.e. the determination of somebody’s identity on the basis of their unique features, such as appearance, physical characteristic and behaviour. On the basis of procedures developed by the Provincial Police Headquarters in Katowice, it was emphasized how important it is for participants in sports events to be observed not from the moment when the game begins, but rather from the moment they enter a sports facility, or even on their way to such a facility, when they do not try to hide their identity.