Terror threat among reasons drones are banned at grounds as Villa game is paused

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    Southampton’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa wasn’t the first time a football match that has been halted because of a drone.

    Brentford's match against Wolves 12 months ago was halted for 19 minutes in the first half due to a drone flying overhead. And at St Mary’s this afternoon (Saturday), both sets were rushed off the pitch for a period before play resumed.

    Given the increased use of drones in today’s world, there are specific rules in place for such an eventuality, the first being that play must be stopped in the interests of safety.

    READ MORE: Southampton and Aston Villa players rushed off pitch as drone flies above St Mary's

    A report has even been conducted into the threat drones pose to football matches. The report was conducted by the Football Safety Officers Association's business development manager John Newsham.

    He stated that among larger concerns such as terrorism, a loss of power or visibility of the drone could cause harm to players on the pitch or spectators.

    Newsham wrote: "Although the use of drones over football stadiums has not been widespread, the emergence of cases of aircraft being flown over grounds to capture games and images has highlighted the potential safety and security risks that they bring.

    "The very nature of their remote-controlled design leads to a number of risks including the possibility of the loss of control of a drone over spectators or near to structures.

    "Most worrying is the potential drones present for terrorist activity. Terrorists already have a whole arsenal of weapons at their disposal but as new technologies become cheaper and more readily available, drones now provide them with the ability to carry out even more horrifying attacks.

    What's the strangest reason you've known a game to be stopped for? Tell us in the comments section

    "Drones have become an integral part of global military life, where they have been used to launch remote attacks, and the potential they have to cause devastation at football stadiums by carrying explosives or poisonous gases is one that cannot be ignored."

    On how the official should deal with the situation, Newsham wrote: "It may be agreed that in the event of a drone being flown over the ground, the referee is alerted by the fourth official and all players are taken off the pitch until the aircraft is safely grounded or removed.”

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    • Premier League
    • Drone
    • Aston Villa FC
    • Southampton FC

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