Enabling an evidence based approach to crowd safety and security in swedish football

Djurgården FC, a club with a long-standing reputation for commitment to social responsibility issues, has long believed that professional football has a responsibility to act on the issue of football related disorders.

Recognising that disciplinary measures alone cannot and will not deal with the inherent complexity underlying football-related disturbances, the club demonstrates its responsibility by playing a leading role in developing evidence-based responses and solutions.

This is perhaps most apparent in ENABLE, an initiative conceived last season to generate an evidence-based solution to the problems of conflict and customer care.

ENABLE has a focus on evidence gathering and dissemination, in order to discuss, identify and share good practice in the management of crowds attending Swedish professional football matches.

It involves a network of key stakeholders and international experts, each tasked with collecting evidence and research to identify good practice in handling public events in professional football.

As a result of discussions last season, the network has begun a series of systematic observations of order and security measures at a number of matches in Sweden, Denmark and the UK – and these will continue right through the 2015 season.

ENABLE is being led jointly by Filip Lundberg, Head of Sustainability at Djurgården FC, and Dr Clifford Stott from the Security and Justice Research Group at the University of Leeds, and Jonas Havelund from the University of Southern Denmark.

Other participants include international police expertise and police departments from Sweden, Denmark and the UK, Supporters Direct and Football Supporters Europe.

For more information, please contact:

— Filip Lundberg, Head of Sustainability, Djurgården Football Club

— Visit the ENABLE website

— Watch an interview with Dr. Clifford Stott