The chief inspector in charge of football stadium safety warned that the government needs to "address the issue" of fans standing in seated areas "before something goes wrong," according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. Sports Grounds Safety Authority Chief Inspector Ken Scott said that "safe standing" such as the rail seating used by Scottish Premiership side Celtic in part of Parkhead "could be the answer but that the government has so far been unconvinced." The SGSA is an "arms-length government body" and Scott’s report on the Celtic trial has "given a thumbs-up to the rails seats for safety reasons." He will meet U.K. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch later this year for further talks -- the SGSA will need a change in government policy to allow clubs in the top two divisions of English football to bring in safe standing areas. Scott said, "I am mindful that we have a high tendency of people who choose not to sit in the seats provided. Persistent standing is very much an issue we are concerned about and we have been warning clubs about the issues since 2002 and to be brutally honest it's not working and the situation is getting worse. If you were to ask me if it were safer to stand behind a barrier or a seat I think I know which is safer" (LONDON TIMES, 9/4).
