Sports | The gate bans in the stands require a change in the law, Suek’s report says

Sports clubs or organizations will not be able to impose gate bans on disruptive spectators if the laws are not changed in Finland. This is clear from the report released on Monday by the Finnish Sports Ethics Center (Suek).

Current Finnish legislation does not recognize the concept of a curfew. In sports, temporary or permanent gate bans have been used as a punishment option if the person who bought the admission ticket has, for example, endangered the safety of other spectators with fireworks, rushed onto the field or behaved in a racist manner. For example, gate bans have been imposed on football grounds in Britain for serious fouls.

Having prepared the report Janne Ripatin according to the curfew system in Finland cannot be implemented contractually within the framework of fundamental rights provisions, the Act on Assemblies and the Act on Private Security Services.

The contract-based suspension system means that when buying an admission ticket, the spectator commits to the rules defined by the organizer of the event. If, for example, fireworks are prohibited, their use can be punished.

According to Ripati, Finland needs a law that could solve the restrictions related to equality, personal freedom, freedom of movement and freedom of assembly in sports stands. The report emphasizes that the fundamental rights of an individual also include personal safety, even in sports stands.

Sue too general secretary Teemu Japisson assesses in the press release that Finland must prepare for the risks of stand security in good time.

“Unfortunately, in several countries the situation in sports stands is very worrying,” Japisson said.

According to Suek, it can be assumed that the application criteria for the rights to organize major international sports events will increasingly include a condition regarding the curfew system included in the legislation.