Review article
TERRORIST ATTACKS ON SPORTS FACILITIES FROM THE 1970’s UNTIL 2017: FROM SELECTIVE TO MASS DESTRUCTION
Luka Leško
; Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
Match dates known in advance, mass gatherings, high concentration of emotions and publicity at little cost, mark sports facilities as suitable soft targets of terrorist attacks. After attacks on sporting events at the end of the 20th century and on 9/11, security, including counterterrorism strategies, has become one of the most important parts of major sporting events. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of terrorist attacks on sports facilities from 1970 to the end of 2017, and comparative analysis of two periods, from 1970 to the end of 1999, and from 2000 to the end of 2017. The Global Terrorism Database was used for data collection. Between 1970 and the end of 2017, 234 terrorist attacks on sports facilities (carried out by 61 different terrorist organizations/groups) were reported, during which 556 people were killed and 2490 injured. Nearly two-thirds of attacks resulted in human casualties, almost a half of them with a mortal outcome. More than double number of attacks was carried out in 2000s, with 10 times larger number of human victims, compared to the period from 1970 to 1999. Before, terrorism on sports facilities has been more selective, while today’s targets are commonly mass murders of civilians, for the purpose of expanding collective fear. Since the budget for mega sport events has risen in the last decade, the data point to less number of attacks, and the effectiveness in the prevention of terrorist attacks on major sporting events, consequently resulted in a change of targets to less exposed but also crowded sport events, especially in the Middle East countries. Such attacks are of a worrying number. Despite the numerous reported attacks, terrorism has not been able to significantly disturb the maintenance of sporting events until nowadays. Apart from counterterrorism studies and strategies in the context of terrorist attacks on sports facilities, analysis of the impact of security strategies on civil liberties during sporting events are recommended.
Keywords
terrorism; security; counterterrorism; intelligence; bomb; sport; stadium
Hrčak ID:
218937
URI
Publication date:
28.12.2018.
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