The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) set-up by Mohammed Hanzab (pictured), who addressed the key issues in security planning for major sporting events at the 9th International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) South American Executive Policing Conference in Rio de Janerio.

Hanzab, in a key note speech to the IACP conference delegates, stressed the importance of sharing knowledge and best practice in major sporting event security and safety planning, especially in nations that are new to hosting major events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games and FIFA World Cup.

"These are exciting times for Brazil, with the two biggest sporting events in the world being hosted here in the next five years," he said Hanzab, who set-up ICSS, a not-for-profit organisation earlier this year.

"With such an undertaking will come many challenges, and indeed many opportunities.

"We know that Brazil's strategy is to engage broadly with emerging nations in planning and staging these world-class events, and use the opportunity to help raise aspirations and develop technical capabilities in other countries, both here in South America and elsewhere.

"We are now seeing more major sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, hosted by emerging nations and first-time hosts, who have limited previous experience of planning for such events – a trend that reinforces the need for sharing of knowledge and best practice.

"Nowhere is this more true than in the field of safety and security."

Hanzab was later joined by Helmut Spahn, who had been in charge of security at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and is now the executive director of the ICSS, and Chris Eaton, head of security for FIFA, for a panel discussion.

Other panelists included Kathy O'Toole, Chief Inspector at the Garda Síochána Inspectorate and President of Monitor Quest North America, and Mlungisi Ncame, head of security for the South African Football Association.

The panel highlighted the crucial need for advanced planning and national coordination in the areas of safety and security and looked at other important subjects such as intelligence gathering and cooperation and maintaining public order.

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