RCB teams up with BCCI, KSCA to prevent crowd tragedies

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Monday announced that its newly formed foundation, RCB Cares, will work closely with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to design better crowd management protocols, following a stampede during the team’s trophy celebrations earlier this year that claimed 11 lives.

The foundation, which has already announced Rs 25 lakh compensation for the families of those who died, stated that it aims to “support, empower and elevate our 12th Man Army through meaningful action.” RCB Cares has proposed a six-point plan to achieve this goal, which will be implemented after obtaining requisite clearance from government authorities.

Among its initiatives, the foundation plans to provide support beyond financial aid, collaborate with stadium authorities, sporting bodies, and league partners to improve crowd management protocols, and introduce a fan-safety audit framework. It also intends to conduct annual training for on-ground partners on crowd management and emergency response, empower communities through real opportunities, and invest in independent research on crowd safety. The remaining objectives include preserving fan memories permanently and creating in-stadium jobs while nurturing local talent.

RCB described RCB Cares as a long-term plan dedicated to fan welfare. The announcement comes in the aftermath of the June tragedy, when an inquiry found that the large gathering, reportedly in the hundreds of thousands, was partly due to social media invitations issued by the franchise. The investigation concluded that RCB had failed to obtain the necessary clearances to organise the celebrations, leaving the police vastly outnumbered by fans attempting to enter Chinnaswamy Stadium.

With PTI inputs