After being awarded the contract to provide Close Protection Services for the players, umpires and sponsors participating in the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, a consortium of South African professionals were gathered together to provide a range of specialised security services.

Our goal was to assist South Africa's United Cricket Board (UCB) and ensure that the tournament was safe and incident-free. At the time, political turmoil in Zimbabwe ,terrorist activity in Kenya and rising crime levels in South Africa posed a variety of challenges from a security perspective.

However, based on sound preparation, effective planning and a disciplined execution of services, we were able to ensure that no major incidents occurred and that the fans and participants enjoyed the tournament that was staged in three African countries (Kenya , South Africa & Zimbabwe).

Subsequently, the company has provided a range of specialised services to corporates and individuals engaged in major sporting events. After all, such events are no longer simply about the game but more about big business. Therefore, companies now need to understand more about their prospective partners and suppliers in order to make informed decisions.

The founding partner was Benedict Weaver who is Board-certified in both Security Management and Competitive Intelligence. Whilst working for a British security organisation, Mr Weaver was exposed to a variety of sensitive scenarios in the UK and overseas, and he was closely involved with targeting football hooligans and developing stadia security strategies for many sports clubs.

Capitalising on this experience, the other members of the Sport Security Management (SSM) team have developed a variety of solutions for the sporting arena. Whether you require Close Protection for your principals or their spouses whilst attending the tournament; or Enhanced Due Diligence of the companies and business people with whom you will be negotiating new business, SSM has the experience and knowledge to provide you with actionable intelligence and effective solutions.

Apart from ensuring that you arrive at and depart from crowded venues in a safe and secure manner, the SSM team also conducts Health and Safety Audits to ensure that stadia and other venues comply with local legislation.SSM develops specific contingency plans for you in the event of civil unrest, riots, strikes, blockades and targeted harassment.