In terms of security, this is the ultimate life-size test before the Olympic Games (OG) in Paris in the summer of 2024. Is France ready for the Rugby World Cup, the kick-off of which will be given on Friday September 8, at 9:15 p.m., at the Stade de France (Seine-Saint-Denis)? ” We are confidentanswers Jacques Rivoal, president of France 2023, the public interest group (GIP) which organizes the event. There are regular meetings with the State services. The subject is being followed very, very seriously. »
The fiasco of the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid is still on everyone’s minds. On May 28, 2022, errors in the law enforcement system, in particular, caused terrible chaos. Several measures have been taken to prevent such a disaster from happening again. The number of CCTV cameras around the Stade de France, for example, has been increased. And, before the deputies, on April 5, Michel Cadot, interministerial delegate for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and major sporting events, wanted to be reassuring. There is now a “much more consistent flow management” arrivals of spectators to the site, he explained.
Ultimately, the failure of spring 2022 may have served the interests of the organizers of the Rugby World Cup. “What happened allowed us to gain feedback. The inter-ministerial department for major sporting events and the parliamentary committee have learned lessons from this, which have confirmed certain strategic choices made well in advance, in particular the choice of a dematerialized ticketing service”argues Mr. Rivoal.
Avoid fraud and scams
In accordance with the new directives in force, the 2.2 million tickets sold for the competition are nominative, dematerialized and tamper-proof. In addition, an official ticket resale platform was launched in January, with the aim of avoiding fraud, a black market with prohibitive prices and scams.
The Stade de France plays a central role in this World Cup, hosting the opening match of the tournament, between France and New Zealand, but also two quarter-finals, the two semi-finals, the final and the classification match for third place. Still, it is also necessary to secure eight other enclosures, in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Saint-Etienne and Toulouse.
For each, a specific system is planned, adjustable according to the poster of the day and the risk profile presented by the supporters of the teams concerned. The number of security agents mobilized, likely to rise to 1,000 in Seine-Saint-Denis, could thus reach 300 around the Beaujoire stadium in Nantes.
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