Crowd control needs planning

The crowds at the cricket in Sharjah could easily have caused harm. A rethink is needed

Security outside the ground during the PSL games at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Satish Kumar / The National

Perhaps the authorities at Sharjah Cricket Stadium could be forgiven for thinking that Friday’s Pakistan Super League matches would not have been well-attended. After all, other PSL fixtures had been played without packed stadiums.

And yet the combination of the double-header being in a central location on a Friday afternoon should have tipped them off to expect significant attendance. Certainly, when the organisers saw crowds queuing around the stadium from early morning, they should have taken steps to ensure only those with tickets were able to get inside the ground. That would have ensured that the scenes of chaos, first outside the ground, as unsustainable crowds tried to get close to the action, and inside as supporters found themselves pushed together, could have been avoided.

Luckily, no-one was seriously hurt, but the photographs of abandoned shoes and destroyed bicycles point to the force of the crowd. There are a number of strands that can be considered to make sure such a situation does not arise again.

The first is foresight. Organisers need to have contingency plans in place in case large crowds form – and an ability to swiftly bring in more security guards if needed. Another aspect is better ticket allocation. Having tickets available online is positive, but many people may not have easy access to the internet – for them, picking up tickets at kiosks in malls or at money exchanges could be an option that would supplement the handful of retailers selling tickets. Those without tickets should not be allowed close to the stadium.

The final aspect is security. As we have argued before, security guards need to be both better trained and more empowered to really enforce the rules. Too often, security guards will back off if confronted by someone they perceive to have more authority, fearful that their supervisors may not take their side. Such an attitude is dangerous. Supervisors must make clear that if security guards follow the rules and act courteously, that they will be supported.

These steps will ensure that the only thing that can stop play is rain – something, in the UAE at least, that is still unforeseeable.