Source : ABC NEWS
Ramped-up security measures have delayed fans entering the MCG for its first event since staff failed to stop two men from allegedly carrying loaded guns into the famed venue.
Less than 48 hours after the huge scare at Thursday night’s Collingwood-Carlton blockbuster, many fans were being extensively searched on their way into the ground for the Richmond-Brisbane clash on Saturday.
Staff were limiting the number of fans allowed to pass through under-fire metal detector gates at the same time.
They were also conducting more thorough bag checks, while many fans were being scanned with security wands before entering the venue.
Melbourne Cricket Club chief executive Stuart Fox had warned of “slight delays” for Saturday’s match and the foreseeable future.
There were still long queues — some stretching hundreds of metres — outside the ground when the Tigers-Lions contest started at 4.15pm AEDT.
“The queues to get into the MCG today are ridiculously long. Complete overreaction to Thursday night’s incident,” an ABC Sport reader said on Saturday’s live blog.
“The MCC queue extends to Wellington Parade. Non-MCC queues even longer. Going to miss the first quarter at this rate.”
The lines had cleared by quarter-time.
The increased security measures came after Victoria Police allegedly found weapons on two men, who were on bail, inside the MCG during a search while more than 82,000 fans watched the Magpies-Blues clash.
The pair were arrested at the ground.
Officials had blamed the incident on a “breakdown” in screening measures.
“Our security screening units identified items of concern and further investigation was required, our initial internal investigation identified a breakdown in the thoroughness of the secondary and manual screening process,” MCC boss Fox said on Friday.
“As a result, we will be increasing the extensiveness of the secondary manual security process and patrons may experience slight delays as they attend upcoming events.”
AAP
