Biometric Cameras Identify Thousands of Fans Who Snuck Into Copa América Final

Biometric cameras have been used to identify over 7,000 fans who entered the Copa América final between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium without tickets earlier this month. The security breach not only posed risks to the thousands of legitimate attendees but also highlighted significant security challenges at large events.

Authorities are now considering severe penalties for those identified. These could include criminal charges, hefty fines, and imprisonment. Additionally, U.S. authorities might revoke the resident visas of some individuals, with the most severe cases potentially resulting in deportation.

The use of biometric technology played a crucial role in identifying these unauthorized attendees, demonstrating both the capabilities and the ethical considerations of using such advanced surveillance methods in public events.

The implementation of biometric entry systems is becoming more prevalent in sports venues, and not always for security purposes. In many cases, it is used to enhance operations and the fan experience. For instance, this week the “MLB Go-Ahead Entry” system, using facial recognition technology, was implemented at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium, allowing baseball fans expedited access to games. Fans can register through the MLB Ballpark app by taking a selfie, which is converted into a unique numerical token linked to their tickets.

This system enables fans to use dedicated entry lanes without needing to show their tickets, significantly speeding up the entry process. The technology, provided by NEC, has already been successfully implemented in other stadiums such as Citizens Bank Park, Nationals Park, Minute Maid Park, and Oracle Park, showing a 68 percent faster processing time compared to traditional methods.

Source: beinsports

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July 23, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis