How to Stay Safe During International Sports Games
Keep up with the news. When the news stories start coming in that there is unrest, strife, increased crime, or terrorist attempts taking place where the sports event is happening, it's time to sit up and listen. Keep a watching brief on events as they unfold. Do additional research online, looking at news sites from your own country and from the country or region you'll be traveling to. From this information, consider what your gut reactions are about what is happening. Maybe if it doesn't feel right already, it's a good idea to stay home.
Read your foreign affairs' departments advisories on travel. Go to your government's foreign affairs site and look up the travel advisories provided by the foreign affairs' officials. If they are suggesting no travel, or extremely limited travel, then the situation is very serious and it's likely that they have more information than the news stories you've been watching.
Read the information being given to sports participants. Another good indication of whether or not it's a safe bet to still attend is to see how the sports teams or individuals have responded to the crisis. Has their government or sports body decided to prevent them from
traveling? Not only does that provide you with a big disincentive if your own country's team pulls out but it's also an indication that you're best at home too. If those responsible for the sports team individual's safety don't feel they can secure this, then this is highly indicative of the possible dangers involved. Be careful to read between the lines, all the same. Sometimes countries or officials play brinkmanship diplomacy and end up going at the last minute after certain demands or assurances are met that don't always relate to the security situation. Keep a close eye on both the news and your government's travel advisories.
Talk to consular officials if you're already on location. If you're already on site, contact your consulate or embassy to ask them for advice. They will be best placed to assist you. Register your travel and contact details with your consulate if they provide this facility. This will help them locate you in the event of an emergency. If your foreign affairs department or consulate provides travel updates via email, be sure to subscribe to these.
Take all the usual precautions for safe travel. As with any travel, it pays to keep in mind the methods for
staying safe, such as: Wearing a money belt, not carrying enormous amounts of cash on you, and dividing your finances between plastic, traveler's checks, cash, and bank funds. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d6\/Stay-Safe-During-International-Sports-Games-in-Unsafe-Cities-or-Countries-Step-5Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Stay-Safe-During-International-Sports-Games-in-Unsafe-Cities-or-Countries-Step-5Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d6\/Stay-Safe-During-International-Sports-Games-in-Unsafe-Cities-or-Countries-Step-5Bullet1.jpg\/v4-760px-Stay-Safe-During-International-Sports-Games-in-Unsafe-Cities-or-Countries-Step-5Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":760,"bigHeight":570,"licensing":"
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\n<\/p><\/div>"} Only visit places that are known to be safe for tourists. Don't wander off the beaten track. Tourist meccas can be unsafe in times of unrest, however. They might be targeted for terrorist activities, so avoid gathering anywhere that attracts large numbers of tourists.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"} Don't draw attention to yourself. Dress modestly and try to blend in with the locals.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"} Maintain curfews. If you are visiting somewhere that is unsafe, it pays to be off the streets before it gets too late in the evening. A self-imposed curfew of being indoors before dark makes good sense when there is unrest at night.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"} Try to meet up with some trusted locals. If you know people in the country or city, try to connect with them and have them take you to events. Their local knowledge will be invaluable, as well as the fact that they'll be keeping updated with local news on any relevant events.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"} Be sure that you have had all your vaccinations and that they're up to date. If an outbreak of a disease is the major concern, talk to your doctor.
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Stay alert at all times. Beware of any suspicious activities around you and get clear of them. Monitor your surroundings constantly and don't do anything to provoke people. Monitor the media constantly and keep checking your foreign affairs' site for travel advisory updates.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"} Know the uniform, transportation and logos of official security (police, army, etc.) in the country you're in. This will help you to identify the authorities quickly if needed.
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Keep a list of all emergency numbers both local and back home. Have police, fire, and ambulance numbers for the city or country you're in, as well as your consulate or embassy numbers and your hotel number (or the numbers of friends you know locally). In addition, have the numbers of family, your foreign affairs department back in your home country, your insurance agency, your credit card company, and your airline. Keep all numbers neatly written down or printed in one place, on a small laminated card
if possible. Try to make several copies for different bags and pockets that you carry with you and leave in your luggage as well. If you have a phone that travels, add these numbers to it, as well as keeping some numbers in an email or online document that can be easily retrieved.
Know the normal standards of safety for regular tourist activities. In part, you can gauge the safety or otherwise of certain activities by their usual standard of safety. Reading tourist guidebooks will tell you some of the more pertinent safety information. For example: Is public transportation always a risky business or is it usually safe and efficient? Is eating out in certain areas safe or dangerous? Is it safe to travel alone? To travel alone as a woman? To travel as a group? What areas are known for pick-pocketing, hustlers, thieves, etc.? Where do the guidebooks recommend that you never go for the sake of safety?
Know what you can and cannot take into the sport's event areas. You might not be allowed to carry anything that could be used as a weapon, or any camera or computer equipment, large bags, any alcohol, etc. It's wise to check out lists of prohibited items on the website of the relevant
sporting body holding the event, as often there will not be any storage facilities provided for items you've brought along that are prohibited.
It's not always possible to tell whether or not a country or region is about to fall under civil strife, terror attacks, or some form of criminal attention-seeking behavior aimed at marring an international sports event. When this does happen, and you've already booked the tickets and accommodation, what do you do next? This article will provide you with some suggestions for coping and making vital decisions about your trip.