Country presentation

Name: Estonia

Population: 1,220,042 inhabitants

Capital: Tallinn

Date of accession to the Council of Europe: 1993

State of signature/ ratification
Council of Europe Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events (2016):

Date of Signature: 14/10/2019

Date of Ratification: 16/12/2019

Date of entry into force: 01/02/2020

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Coordination Arrangements

Presentation of the country's main security and sports institutions and bodies

 

Independent sports safety bodies

There is not specific body for the sports venues safety licensing and inspection. The tasks are divided between local municipalities, the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority and Estonian Rescue Board, depending on which aspect of the safety is in question.

Main Sports/ Sport Activities

Main sports in the country (by number of members)

According to the data of the Estonian Sports Registry (Data taken on the 2/7/2021) the biggest sports disciplines are:

  • Gymnastics (33142 participants)
  • Bodybuilding and fitness (24481)
  • Football (21555)
  • Swimming (15974)
  • Basketball (8953)

 

National Olympic Committee

 

Main sports federations and leagues
National football authorities

 

Relevant good practices in the S4 domain

Information not available

Major Sports Events

Last major sporting events organised since 2000 and key elements of their legacy

  • European Athletics U23 Championships, Tallinn, 8.-11.07.2021

  • FIA WRC Rally Estonia 15.-18.07.2021

  • European Figure Skating Championships, Tallinn, 20.01-25.01.2009

  • UEFA Super Cup, Tallinn, 25.08.2018

  • Tallinna Marathon 7.-9.09.2018.

 

Future major sporting events organised and/or co-organized within the next 5 years

  • 2021 Men's European Volleyball Championship, Group Stage (Pool D), Tallinn, 1.09-9.09.2021

  • FIA WRC Rally Estonia 2022

  • BMW IBU World Cup Biathlon Otepää 10.-13.03.2022

  • European Figure Skating Championships, Tallinn, 10.-16.01.2022

 

The country's main sporting competitions

  • Tallinn Marathon

  • Ironman Tallinn

  • Tartu Skiing Marathon

  • Rally Estonia

Supporter Organisations

National supporter organisations or National team supporter organisations

MTÜ Jalgpallihaigla – Estonian National Football Team fans.

Legal Framework

National legal framework on sports safety and security, including specific legal provisions on:


List of main laws and regulations


National/local coordination bodies

Information not available

 


Share of safety and security responsibilities (inside/outside of sports venues)

Organiser is responsible inside and in immediate surroundings of sports venues. Police is responsible outside of the sports venues and other places (e.g. city centre, airport etc.). If needed (e.g. if organiser cannot handle the situation, mass disturbances, fire, terrorist act etc.), police / emergency service / Internal Security Service will take over.

According to Sport Act § 23. Obligations of organiser

Upon planning, preparation and organisation of a sports event, an organiser is required to:

1) ensure the security of those participating in the sports event;

2) ensure strict monitoring of the ticket sale so that persons who support different competitors are separated from each other;

3) organise the parking of vehicles;

4) ensure the public order and maintenance of general order at the place of the competition;

5) comply with the conditions set by the agencies which approved the application.


Stewarding/Private security


Sports venues safety regulations, licensing, certification and inspection

We do not have a specific regulation related to sport venues, but only general ones:

Building Code, Safety Act


Sport-related hate speech, racism and other types of discrimination


Pyrotechnics and other forbidden items


Customer service and role of supporters and local communities

Information not available


Social-educational preventative measures

Information not available


Alcohol/drug policy

Specific sport-related misbehaviour typified as crime


Specific sport-related misbehaviour typified as misdemeanour


Exclusion policy (banning orders/exit bans)

 


Measures taken/envisaged by States to meet the objectives of the Convention

Information not available

National Strategies/ Policies

Existence of specific safety, security and/or service public policies

Information not available

Existence of a national strategy on security, safety, and services

Information not available

Existence of (a) regional/ local strategy(ies) on security, safety, and services

Information not available

The Emergency Act lays down e.g. the rules of the Organisation of Crisis Management (Chapter 2) and Preventing, Preparing for and Resolving Emergencies (Chapter 3). In the case of policing events, e.g. mass disorder, it is the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board who has prepared a risk analysis. There are currently no national or local policy or strategy documents. For larger events, the local prefecture prepares a police operation plan.

Major Risks and Incidents

Major risks and trends on violence and disorder

According to the police, the biggest risks are the use of pyrotechnics in and around stadiums. There are no other problems. There have been occasional cases of public nuisance and cases related with tobacco, alcohol and drugs, but only few. In general, the situation is stable, i.e. only the use of pyros has increased in recent years.

Last major incidents which seem relevant and enlightening on the need to adopt an integrated approach to safety, security and service

The last major incident was at the beginning of 2000 at the Estonian-Russian game, when the riot police were forced to detain several Russian supporters in the stadium due to violations of public order.

In 2017, there was an incident during the football match between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Estonia, when due to the pyrotechnics of the Bosnian fans the match had to be stopped for 4 minutes.

 

Evolution of total incidents over the last 10 years

Last updated on October 2021