As part of a three-week program, four International Visitors from Ukraine travelled to Utah as guests of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, administered locally by the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, to examine “Ensuring Public Safety of International Sporting Events.” After the recent success of the REAL Salt Lake soccer team, winner of the 2009 MLS Cup, Utah is a great place to learn the tips of the trade.
On March 15, 2010, Mr. Oleksandr BASKAKOV, Chief, Department for Operational Technical Measures, Ministry of Interior; Mr. Iurii GATSANIUK, Chief, Department of Citizen Security, Ministry of Internal Affairs; Mr. Dmytro SHAFRAN, Advisor, Headquarters of Anti-terrorism Center, Security Service of Ukraine; and Mr. Volodymyr STEPANENKO, Chief, Department for Operative Service, Ministry of Interior, met with Real Salt Lake and Rio Tinto Stadium’s Trino Martinez, Director of Event Operations, to tour the Stadium and discuss security issues.
In 2007, Poland and Ukraine were selected to co-host the competition, a sporting event with more viewers than the Super Bowl. They beat competition from Italy and a joint bid from Croatia and Hungary. It will be the first time either country has hosted a major tournament, a first for Post-Soviet Republics. The Polish-Ukrainian hosting is seen as a way of shifting the focus towards regions and nations of central and eastern Europe, whose population demonstrates passion for soccer.
The two countries continue to strive to meet the major challenges of improving their infrastructure, notably Ukraine, which was part of the Soviet Union until 1991, and is currently seeking membership in the European Union.
After a brief meeting with Mr. Martinez and Ms. Sarah Lewis, Executive Assistant to the President, the Delegates were joined by Lew Cramer, President & CEO, World Trade Center Utah; Elizabeth Goryunova, Executive Vice President & COO, World Trade Center Utah; Director of International Relations, Salt Lake Chamber; Natalie Gochnour, Chief Economist & Executive Vice President, Salt Lake Chamber; and Courtney McBeth, Intern Manager, Hinckley Institute of Politics, to tour the Stadium, the media box, and the players’ locker rooms, to assess the security infrastructure.
Having served in various consulting capacities at numerous international sporting events, including the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Champions Cup, the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi last December, and the recently-completed 2010 Vancouver Winter Games – his third stint at an Olympic Games, Mr. Martinez offered a wealth of information. One of the Delegates commented that the Stadium security plans fostered optimal clarity and convenience. However, Martinez and the Delegates agreed that while the Stadium security system is optimal, the human factor is always a challenge.
