Regulations

Regulations

Football's a party! has proved to be no hollow slogan over the years, on the contrary. Thanks to thorough reporting and sanctions based on the football law in recent years, more and more supporters, especially women and children, have found their way back to the stadiums.

The strict enforcement and sanctioning policies of recent years have greatly increased the comfort level of well-meaning supporters.

But it can still be much better! There are still supporters who intend to spoil the party for other supporters. They should realise that by their behaviour they keep other supporters away from football stadiums, can cause damage to their own club and are responsible for a whole range of safety measures which have to be taken, such as the combi-regime. Although the social cost of football security is falling every season, these rogue supporters continue to cost clubs and the government a great deal of money.

In view of the strict enforcement policy required, the police have no choice but to draw up an official report in the event of the slightest disturbance, so that troublemakers risk a fine and a stadium ban. Poor sporting performance by the team or certain refereeing decisions cannot be used as a reason for resorting to all kinds of disruptive behaviour. Racism, xenophobia and discriminatory statements are also unacceptable in a stadium! Talking negatively to supporters of the other team, for example because they belong to a different linguistic community, does not contribute to a good atmosphere in the stadium and can be sanctioned if necessary. On the other hand, encouraging your own team in a positive way is a win-win situation!

As we would like it to be clear to everyone what is and what is not allowed in and around a football stadium, below you will find which acts cannot be tolerated in a stadium and/or its surroundings:

Under the Act of 21 December 1998 on safety at football matches, as amended by the Acts of 10 March 2003, 27 December 2004 and 25 April 2007 (the Football Act):

  • Throwing objects into the stadium or the perimeter;
  • Violation of a perimeter ban or a stadium ban? A minimum sanction of 1000 euros and a new stadium ban of minimum 1 year for not respecting the stadium ban + possibility to report to the police (with a possible fine and/or imprisonment if this is not respected either);
  • Knowingly providing material assistance to someone to violate their stadium ban;
  • Entering the stadium illegally (when access was denied by a steward);
  • In the stadium or the perimeter, not following directives or orders from the safety officer, stewards or police or emergency services;
  • Possession or use of Bengal fireworks or other pyrotechnical objects: minimum sanction of 500 euros and a stadium ban of at least one year for lighting Bengal fire;
  • Climbing fences, walls, as well as any means of separation from supporters;
  • Entering the playing field or the surrounding area : minimum sanction of 1000 euros and a ban from the stadium for at least 2 years;
  • Being in a different section than for which you have a ticket, being in the stadium without a ticket or with an invalid ticket;
  • The sole or collective incitement to hatred and anger or to beatings and injuries in the stadium or in the perimeter? minimum sanction of 500 euros and -a stadium ban of at least 1 year if in the stadium against a steward, security officer or member of the emergency services;
  • Group incitement to hatred and anger or to violence and injuries on the entire Belgian territory from 24 hours before until 24 hours after the match (e.g. motorway parking lot).

In the context of the circular OOP 40 of 14 December 2006 containing guidelines on offensive, racist and discriminatory remarks and speeches made during football matches:

The tolerance limit is exceeded if, on the occasion of a football match, a person publicly incites third parties or publicises his intention to discriminate, hate or violence against a person, a group or a community on account of an alleged race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability or state of health of that person, the members or some of the members of the targeted group or community;
Spectators must therefore refrain from any racist or discriminatory behaviour and from offensive speeches and must not take into the stadium any symbols, drawings, flags and banners with an offensive, provocative, racist or anti-Semitic message or which are associated with (neo-)Nazi ideology;
If a spectator feels ready to do so, he can address the person concerned about his behaviour, inform the stewards or police present and/or inform the club or police at a later time;

Moreover, when buying a ticket, you agree to the internal rules of the organizing club. You can read the internal rules of each club at the entrance to the stadium.

Every supporter is therefore asked to attend the football event in a spirit of respect, tolerance, sportsmanship and fair play. This is also expected from the players on the pitch, the clubs and the referees. The stewards will be on site to answer all questions about safety and much more.

For more information on the issue of safety at football matches, you can also contact the following bodies:

The security manager of your club or the football and spotters file manager at the local police
Federal Public Service Home Affairs - General Direction Security and Prevention Policy - Football Club: cellfoot@ibz.fgov.be(link sends email)
Federal Police - Cell for Integral Football Safety: ivv-sif@skynet.be(link sends email)
Royal Belgian Football Association - Security Department: security@footbel.com(link sends email)
Professional Football League: lpflbv.sterckx@footbel.com(link sends email)

RULES OF INTERNAL PROCEDURE:

GENERAL

Article 1

Every person entering the complex takes note of (the provisions of) these Regulations, accepts them and complies with them. The Internal Regulations are posted in a clear and visible manner at the entrance to the stadium complex.

Article 2

Each holder of an admission ticket or of a special permit issued by the organizer enters the stadium complex entirely at his own risk.

The organizer cannot be held liable for theft or accident.


ACCESS TO THE STADIUM COMPLEX

Article 3

Any person presenting himself at the entrance to the stadium must be in possession of either a valid admission ticket or a special authorization granted by the organizer showing the authority to enter the stadium.

The admission ticket grants a one-time access to the stadium. Every person, who is in the stadium, is at all times in possession of this admission ticket or of this special permission.

Article 4

The ticket shall indicate, where appropriate, the assigned seat in the grandstand or zone.

Article 5

Persons not in possession of a valid admission ticket, special permission, or who cannot justify their presence on any other legitimate grounds (such as security or emergency services) will be refused entry or immediately removed from the stadium.

The purchaser or transferee and any transferor of the admission ticket or of the special admission shall be jointly and severally liable with the final holder thereof for any damage caused by the latter in the stadium.


CONTROL-ISSUE

Article 6

Any person entering or wishing to enter the stadium, including the holder of an admission ticket or of a special admission, shall submit to the control of his admission ticket or of this special admission.

If stewards are present, they may request persons entering or wishing to enter the stadium of the same sex as theirs to voluntarily submit to a superficial check of clothing and luggage, in order to detect objects whose entry into the stadium may disrupt the conduct of the match, compromise the safety of the spectators and disturb public order.

The stewards may request the surrender of items that may interfere with the conduct of the game, jeopardize the safety of the spectators or disrupt public order.

The stewards decide which objects can be temporarily kept for the purpose of returning them after the match. The person giving custody of the object voluntarily hands it over for safe keeping and receives a ticket. After the match, the object will only be returned to the depositor against surrender of this ticket. Articles 1915 to 1954quater of the Civil Code apply.


DATA

Article 7

In accordance with the relevant legal provisions:

  • The person entering or wishing to enter the stadium shall be informed, where appropriate, that the organizer is collecting and processing data on the basis of safety considerations.
  • Images may be collected from any person entering or wishing to enter the stadium, which may be stored and processed. The processing of these images by the police services and/or the organiser is carried out solely with a view to ensuring the maintenance and observance of security within the stadium complex, and is aimed among other things at preventing and detecting offences sanctioned by the Law of 21 December 1998 on security at soccer matches, crimes and breaches of the Internal Regulations, and at making it possible to punish them by identifying the perpetrators.

Article 8

Information relating to the processing of personal data in accordance with Article 14 of Regulation 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data:

  • Identity of the data controller:

KV OOSTENDE, represented by THE MANDATED SECURITY OFFICER

  • Contact details of the data controller:

VEILIGHEIDSVERANTWOORDELIJKE@KVO.BE

  • Name and contact details of data protection appointee:

THE MANDATED SECURITY OFFICER - VEILIGHEIDSVERANTWOORDELIJKE@KVO.BE

  • Legal basis for processing and processing purposes: Legal basis: the Law of 21 December 1998 on security at soccer matches ("Football Law").

Processing purposes: The purpose of processing the images captured and collected by the cameras in the stadium complex is to prevent and detect the offences sanctioned by the Football Code and the violations and crimes against the Internal Regulations established by the Organizer and to enable the punishment through the identification of the perpetrators.

  • Categories of personal data: Any visual data that can be captured by a camera that allows or helps identify a person.
  • The recipients or categories of recipients of the personal data: The controller and the competent police and judicial authorities.
  • The period during which personal data will be kept: The images that give rise to the drawing up of an official report for facts or acts punished by the soccer law and for the establishment of violations or infringements of the internal regulations will be kept by the controller for six months, except in the event of the seizure of the images in application of Article 35 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. All other images will be retained for three months.
  • Access, rectification, erasure, restriction and objection: Every data subject has the right to request the controller to access, rectify or erase personal data or to restrict the processing concerning them, as well as the right to object to the processing and the right to data portability. To this end, the data subject is requested to contact the data protection appointee.
  • Complaint: Any data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Supervisory Authority:

T: 32 (0)2 274 48 00 / 32 (0)2 274 48 35

E: contact@apd-gba.be

  • Source from which personal data originated: cameras placed and used in accordance with the soccer law
  • Accessibility to the public of captured images: No


PROHIBITED ITEMS OR POSSESSIONS

Article 9

It is forbidden for the holders of an admission ticket or of a special permission presenting themselves for admission to the stadium as well as the persons present in the stadium to bring in, to allow to be brought in or to be in possession of, among other things, the following objects:

1° alcohol, drugs or stimulants,

2° bottles, glasses, cans or other equivalent material that serves or is used to contain liquids or beverages,

3° projectiles or explosives in solid, liquid or gaseous state, 4° flammable products or materials, aerosols,

5° pyrotechnic objects such as bengal fire,

6° any weapon or dangerous, cutting or bruising object that could be used as such,

7° any means of disturbing order, endangering the safety of the crowd and/or causing damage to property and persons.

Article 10

Animals are not allowed into the stadium without the permission of the security manager.

Article 11

For safety reasons, the organizer reserves the right to:

  • to allocate the holder of an admission ticket a seat other than the one indicated on the admission ticket
  • To interrupt or stop the match
  • To temporarily detain the spectators in the stadium at the end of the match
  • To evacuate all or part of the stadium
  • Deny access to the stadium despite being in possession of a valid ticket.

PROHIBITED CONDUCT

Article 12

Inside the stadium, ticket holders or special admission holders are strictly prohibited from:

1° to take pictures or make sound recordings of a match or to collaborate in such recordings for any other purpose than personal, non-commercial use in the private sphere, without permission of the Pro League/Voetbal Vlaanderen/ACFF or the KBVB. This prohibition does not apply to authorized press photographers, filmmakers or journalists, insofar as in the opinion of the organizer they act within the limits set by their accreditation or insofar as they act within the limits of the contracts concluded by the Pro League/Voetbal Vlaanderen/ACFF or KBVB with its commercial and/or media partners. In any case it is forbidden for anyone to sell photographs for commercial purposes without the permission of the portrait holder;

2° to collect match data, scouting data, and/or statistics or to collaborate to that end through wireless networks or otherwise, without a valid and prior written authorization from the organizer or from the Pro League/Voetbal Vlaanderen/ACFF or KBVB, except for their own non-commercial, private purpose;

3° to be in the inaccessible parts of the stadium or in another stand, compartment or part of the stadium as well as in another place in the stand than that mentioned on the admission ticket without the prior consent of the safety officer. However, for safety reasons, the organiser reserves the right to allocate the holder of an admission ticket a seat other than that shown on the admission ticket;

4° to climb buildings, structures, fences or enclosures, barriers, lighting poles, dugouts, roofs, or any other infrastructure of the stadium and/or to stand straight on seats or benches before, during and after the game;

5° to engage in insulting, abusive, provocative and/or discriminatory (racist, xenophobic, homophobic, etc.) texts, symbols, speeches, gestures and expressions;

6° to obstruct the access and evacuation routes, stairs, stairwells, corridors and to remain in such places longer than is strictly necessary for entering and leaving the stadium;

7° to disguise or evade recognition;

8° to sell or put on sale drinks, food or any other product without the express permission of the organizer;

9° To perform any act with the purpose or result of moving (such as throwing or firing) any object or liquid or any other product in a loose or gaseous state into the field of play, the area surrounding the field of play or into the stands, or manipulating (such as detonating) it at the risk of others;

10° to throw any object, in any form, on the pitch or in the stands. The club explicitly reserves the right to pronounce the maximum civil disqualification and to jointly and severally recover any potential damage from the person(s) responsible for the incident. This includes, but is not limited to, the incurred material damage, the fine imposed by the disciplinary body of the KBVB or UEFA, the lump sum compensation to be paid to the Pro League, the procedural costs incurred by the club, etc;

11° During matches, events and peripheral activities of the Jupiler Pro League, the 1B Pro League and the Croky Cup, smoking in any form (cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, devices that heat tobacco and all other types of tobacco products). Smoking is permitted only in designated Smoking Areas outside the stands. Designated Smoking Areas shall comply with conditions set by the Pro League;

12° to urinate wildly;

13° cause damage to persons and/or stadium infrastructure;

14° to affix banners, flags or other objects without the prior approval of the organizer. In addition, these may not:

  • for the billboards to be hung,
  • obstruct the view of the playing field,
  • Obstructing evacuation routes,
  • impede someone's recognition.

DENIAL OF ENTRY AND REMOVAL FROM THE STADIUM

Article 13

Admission to the stadium will be denied or refused to any person who:

1° apparently under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other stimulant;

2° have received a stadium ban imposed by either an organizer or the national or international soccer associations or federations or the administrative or judicial authorities;

3° by manifest behavior demonstrate an understanding of disturbing or provoking public order by, for example, inciting blows, injuries, hatred, anger,...;

4° Resists a check or issue at the request of the stewards participating in the control of compliance with the Internal Regulations, or when it is established that he or she is in possession of a weapon or dangerous object;

5° act in violation of the provisions of one or more articles of these internal regulations or refuse to follow the directives of the persons appointed or mandated by the organizer.

Article 14

If the organizer refuses the right of admission to the stadium for safety reasons or has the person concerned removed from the stadium for the same reasons, neither the organizer nor the distributor shall be obliged to refund the admission ticket.

Article 15

The person, who is refused entry to the stadium or who is obliged to leave the stadium by the decision of the organizer or who does not comply with the provisions of the Internal Regulations, may be excluded from attending soccer matches in accordance with the civil exclusion procedure in force.

The exclusion procedure is organized nationally by the KBVB as the umbrella sports organization on behalf of the clubs and/or organizers with regard to their supporters. The KBVB as umbrella sports association has, in addition to the case where it is itself an organizer, the same possibilities and capacities as the organizer to initiate a civil-law exclusion procedure.

 Article 16

- It is forbidden to have at one's disposal and/or to employ in the stadium any sound-amplifying and -disturbing means which, in the opinion of the organiser, may cause unnecessary annoyance, nuisance or damage to something or someone else. Pressure gas horns, vuvuzelas  and similar instruments are not allowed in the stadium. 

- Musical instruments and megaphones are allowed provided that the bearer of the musical instrument and the megaphone present themselves spontaneously in advance, for identification, at the head steward of the tribune.

- Throwing paper shreds, confetti and the like is not allowed. Sticking of stickers is also not allowed.

- It is not allowed to bring your own drinks and food into the stadium. Large carrying bags, backpacks, sports bags and similar items (large items) are prohibited inside the stadium. It is also prohibited to enter the stadium complex in possession of sharp-tipped umbrellas.

- Cosmetic products are allowed in normal form and in small quantity, as well as coins/candy in small quantity. Smoking/fumes are only allowed in the designated smoking areas.

- Evacuation zones, located in front of bleachers, should remain clear as should any stairs in a bleacher. 

- Bringing dogs into the stadium is permitted for persons charged with maintaining public order, including the police. Guide dogs for the blind are also permitted subject to prior approval. Bringing in other animals is strictly prohibited. 

- Any supporter action or individual action (e.g. banners and tifos) must be requested in advance and approved in writing by the mandated safety officer.

- Flagpoles are allowed provided they meet the following cumulative conditions: the length is maximum 1.5 m and the diameter maximum 22 mm. The pole must be made of a thin, hollow, pliable PVC tube. Only 1 pole per flag is allowed. 

- The organizer reserves the right to refuse entry to the stadium to persons, who have violated the image of the organizer (e.g. by being involved in any way in disturbances, whether related to a soccer game or not).

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