Code word PANAMA – just talk to us | OneFootball

Where is Panama? What sounds like a Janosch book and provides security actually has a threatening story behind it – someone doesn't feel comfortable. They need help and want to get out of a serious situation. Immediately. Unconditionally. Because asking someone you don't know for help sometimes takes a lot of courage, Borussia Dortmund have established the Panama concept at Signal Iduna Park this season. It is intended to improve the sense of safety of everyone in the stadium and to break down that barrier of asking for help. To that end, one initial question – or just one code word – is all it takes: PANAMA

This is aimed at those who feel insecure, threatened or afflicted, face discrimination of any form or have experienced physical assaults. PANAMA is thus also part of the concept for preventing sexism and sexual violence, which is a key focus for BVB. PANAMA is made up of three components:

The PANAMA conceptThe concept was developed by the Hamburg-based FKP Scorpio Konzertproduktionen GmbH. They are one of the largest concert organisers in Europe and have organised more than 10,000 concerts, show productions and festivals such as Hurricane, Southside and Deichbrand since 1990, which have attracted a total of over twelve million visitors. To give their visitors even more security, FKP Scorpio use the PANAMA code word. Inga Rossbach from the festival production team explains the development of the concept from its beginnings at festivals to its adaptation to the stadium environment.

Mrs Rossbach, since when has FKP Scorpio been using the concept, why and how exactly?We have been actively utilising the concept since 2017. Fortunately, it did not come about after an actual emergency, for example after an incident to which we should have responded, but rather from a new generation of guests for whom awareness and sustainability are critical. We realised just how important this is to that generation – and then said: "They are right!". Although a festival site can never match a high-security wing at a prison, we wanted to put instruments in place before something serious happened.

How did you transform that insight into a concept that was easy to grasp?We looked around to see what others were doing first – you don't always have to reinvent the wheel. In England there was already the "Ask for Angela" concept in pubs and clubs – in Germany it is "Ist Luisa hier?". Both concepts work very well in clubs, but we quickly realised that they would not work on large festival grounds with 70,000 visitors.

Why not? What had to be changed?Firstly, they were primarily tailored to women – but we did not want to limit ourselves to one gender. Secondly, we found using a first name problematic – there might actually be an Angela or Luisa walking around at one of our festivals. So we wanted to go for a far-away place. We thought nobody would ask about Panama. And Panama also gives a sense of security.

Because of Janosch? Was it actually based on the story of how the little tiger and the little bear travel to Panama?Let's say this: in retrospect, it dawned on us, and we thought about whether it was a bit silly – but ultimately, we were sure that anything that triggers a memory or image would be good.

How did you then implement the concept?After several hours of preparation and discussions, and even more briefings and security training sessions, we were able to integrate the principle of Panama into the ongoing operations at festivals in a fascinating way. The advantage was that we had managed to get all the services and authorities on board right from the start, and they all supported us.

Festival grounds can be as big as 250 football pitches. People are sleeping in tents, drinking alcohol at bars and dancing in front of one of the stages – all at the same time. How does PANAMA work in practice?The aim is to get the people seeking help out of the situation. We do not ask any questions, we just offer help. Because when someone asks for help, there is always a reason. As everyone – from the security team to the paramedics, from the police to the catering industry – receives training about PANAMA, we have plenty of points of contact spread throughout the grounds.

Although we understand that the data is of a sensitive nature, can you put a figure on how often the PANAMA concept is used?Yes, at Hurricane, a three-day festival with 78,000 visitors, the code word PANAMA was used 35 times on average according to the German Red Cross. That might not sound like a lot at first. But I think every single case makes it worth it! And the times when someone has been able to quickly compose themselves after a small break and a glass of water in a separate area are not included in those numbers.

BVB recognised the potential of the concept. What was the first contact like?The fan representatives sent us an email – which triggered a lot of excitement here. Because we are Europe's biggest concert organiser, but we are fans of football too! At first, there were a lot of questions, like: What happens on match day? Which of the prerequisites are already in place? What are your reporting chains? And how can we adapt the concept accordingly? The advantage was that a security team was already in place. The challenge was to find a suitable safe haven in the crowded stadium. Setting up a suitable space was a high priority.

The fan representatives first made contact back in October 2019. It quickly became clear that FKP and BVB would work together. A contract to provide protection for and tackle abuse of the concept was signed with the aim of implementing PANAMA into the match day operations for the 2020/21 season. But then came the coronavirus. "What good is an awareness concept if nobody is there?" says Inga Rossbach. On 14 August 2021, in the home match against Eintracht Frankfurt, PANAMA was used for the first time. FKP Scorpio's commitment has continued, going beyond the initial impulse: "We didn't just want to hand over a concept – we wanted to build a partnership. We want to come together and learn from each other."

Team PANAMATeam PANAMA is made up of trained members of the security team who are always available to everyone from the opening to the closing of the stadium. The team have all received special training. If necessary, they accompany the affected people to the PANAMA room, to the medical area or offer further assistance.

In addition to Team PANAMA, all other employees at the stadium are also told about the Panama concept and can be spoken to by fans at the stadium. Anyone can ask the question"Where is PANAMA" or mention the code word "Panama"at any time.

There is a fixed group of stewards who work in Team PANAMA who alternate every match day. One of them is Alexandra Rhunow. Born in Kiel, she has been a member of the Black and Yellow family from the start. She began working as a steward at the derby in October 2012, and for nine years she has heard everything while braving the elements in the entrance area.

Mrs Rhunow, who works in Team PANAMA?We are nine stewards – five women and four men, including teachers, a health practitioner, an aspiring physiotherapist, a firefighter, and a roofer. I myself have a management degree and am studying business law. In short: we represent a good cross-section of society. And we come from all areas of the stadium: we work at the entrances, in the blocks, in the VIP areas and in the indoor areas – so we also have a good mix here.

The stadium has not yet been completely sold out due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, we will ask the question: how do you think PANAMA is being received by the fans?There is great curiosity – and just as much uncertainty – on both sides. People do not yet know exactly what Team PANAMA are responsible for and when, but they do not seem to want to take up our time unnecessarily. Here is one specific example: People moving seats is not what we do in general, but if – as actually happened – a single Dortmund fan is sitting in the middle of the Ajax block and is feeling uncomfortable, we are responsible and will help immediately.

What is your message to the fans at the stadium?We see ourselves as a link between fans, stewards and the security forces. And we aren't ruling out anything for the time being. Just talk to us! No matter what it is about, we will try to find a solution for everything. We would rather people ask too much than too little, and if you are asking what our job actually is, we offer a sympathetic ear in problem situations, always stay neutral, and listen to both sides if necessary. If a situation is overwhelming, it sometimes helps to talk it over with someone else.

What further developments do you want to see?Training in how to talk to people. This has not yet been possible due to the pandemic. Here, we greatly benefit from Volker Kraja's wealth of experience and his crisis intervention helpers.

The PANAMA roomPANAMA needs a safe haven. A room has been set up in the SIGNAL IDUNA PARK where people seeking help can withdraw, catch their breath and get further help if needed. For home matches, the room is attended to by four crisis intervention helpers from the German Red Cross, who take care of people seeking help if they so wish. Volker Kraja is the spokesman for the crisis intervention team of the German Red Cross.

Mr Kraja, is the PANAMA room something people know about – or is it a secret location?The room in the south-east corner of the stadium is well-known to all the stewards, volunteers and supporters, as well as to the Order of Malta volunteers who organise the medical rooms, and is also marked accordingly. This newly created area also solves a problem that we had in the past when talking to people after a resuscitation or even after a death in the stadium. We are glad and grateful for this room.

How is the room arranged?Imagine a student flat, with a desk, chairs around it, a telephone, a flat screen TV and two comfortable sofas diagonally opposite. We have had good experiences with the sofas in particular – and with the coffee machine. Seriously, though: a good coffee is often the first step to helping people calm down. The question of whether you want a coffee is part of normal, everyday life and that helps you calm down.

Who goes into the room?PANAMA is aimed at those who feel under pressure. Since the PANAMA team also have the task of providing triage, they already handle a large number of the minor problems, for example, arranging taxis. At the other end of the spectrum, in the most severe cases, for example, involving improper touching, the police often take over straight away. We in the room deal with everything in between. That includes people who have been struggling for some time with a mental disorder that has now been triggered during the game. People who have a minor problem that just feels big – like a fear of heights or claustrophobia. Or people who have abused alcohol or drugs on a large scale. It is still a case of balancing interests, and after just six months we cannot yet say which cases come up most frequently.

What do the emergency intervention workers of the German Red Cross mainly do there – talk or listen?You can't say that in such general terms. It is important that the team members stay with them, because the people who are in a situation where they are feeling fearful and do not feel completely capable of being on their own have already started to trust them. If they say after 30 minutes: "The coffee was good, thank you," then we are satisfied.

If they do not want to say exactly what has happened there and then, they will have the opportunity to contact Borussia Dortmund at www.bvb.de/panama and to receive help from the BVB or other competent advisory bodies.

Borussia Dortmund would also like to make it clear that crimes continue to be reported and prosecuted through the usual channels.

Author: Nils HotzePhotos: Alexandre Simoes

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