SAFER Pilot Visit SL Benfica

SAFER Pilot Visit SL Benfica

The EU-funded SAFER project reached a significant milestone with its second pilot visit on February 4th and 5th, hosted at SL Benfica’s iconic Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, also known as Estadio da Luz. Delegates from the partner organisations such as coordinators Football Supporters Europe (FSE), EFDN, and the Autoridade para a Prevenção e Combate à Violência no Desporto from Portugal gathered for this second pilot visit.

Throughout the visit, crucial meetings unfolded between project partners and senior figures from SL Benfica, delving into the project’s core focus – the prevention of gender-based violence between fans. Engaging discussions centred around the strategies implemented by Benfica in this regard, fostering an exchange of insights and best practices.

In addition to the strategic deliberations, a comprehensive inspection of the facilities was conducted, providing an understanding of the club’s approach to ensuring safety and inclusivity. Observations during matchday, where SL Benfica hosted fellow Portuguese club Gil Vicente, offered a firsthand glimpse into fan interactions, adding a practical dimension to the project’s objectives.

Post-match observations paved the way for further meetings, wherein the findings were dissected and analysed. This iterative process underscores the Safer project’s commitment to identifying and promoting effective strategies for preventing gender-based violence on the stadiums of European football clubs.

Heartfelt gratitude was extended to Benfica for their warm hospitality and transparent engagement throughout the visit. After further discussion between the project partners, the next step will be to provide SL Benfica with actions they can implement to make their overall fan experience safer for all, based on the findings from this pilot visit. This marks the second of five planned pilot visits, each designed to contribute to the overarching goal of identifying, promoting, and developing recommendations for the prevention of gender-based violence within the realm of football and beyond.

The project is supported by UEFA, the Sport & Rights Alliance, and the Centre for Sport & Human Rights. The SAFER project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

More information about the project here.