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Given recent news flow this is a highly topical interview featuring international expert Rory Steyn, co-founder of NSA Global Security Consultants. Best known to the public for his role as Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard, since leaving the VIP protection team in the late 1990s Steyn and his partners built NSA into a global leader in security management at major international sporting events including soccer, cricket and rugby world cups and the Olympics. In this wide-ranging interview he shares insights on unseen challenges at the Paris games; bringing Formula One back to SA; and the spate of assassination attempts here and abroad. He spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.
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Highlights from the interview
Alec Hogg interviewed Rory Steyn, co-founder of NSA Global Security Consultants, about the upcoming Paris Olympics’ security measures. Steyn, a former bodyguard for Nelson Mandela, discussed his extensive experience in global sports security, including World Cups and Olympic Games. He emphasized that the Munich 1972 Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes were murdered, marked a turning point in sports security.
Steyn expressed concerns about the security challenges for the Paris Olympics due to the event’s extensive geographical spread, covering various locations like Marseille and Tahiti. He highlighted the critical role of international cooperation and intelligence sharing, noting that countries like the United States and Australia send substantial delegations and have rigorous security protocols.
Despite the robust planning, Steyn admitted the difficulty in securing large, open venues and endurance events such as rowing and cycling. He pointed out that high-profile athletes like LeBron James receive special security arrangements involving both federal agencies and private security firms. Steyn underscored the complexity of protecting athletes during their performances, the time when they are most vulnerable.
Steyn also discussed his role in advising FIFA during the 2010 World Cup, noting that the influx of intelligence from participating nations bolstered security. He praised the French authorities’ capabilities but acknowledged the immense challenge they face. Steyn, attending the Paris Olympics as a spectator, remains cautiously optimistic, recognizing the massive planning and coordination required to ensure the event’s safety.
In conclusion, Steyn’s insights reflect the evolving nature of sports security, the importance of international collaboration, and the significant efforts required to safeguard global events like the Olympics.
Extended transcript of the interview ___STEADY_PAYWALL___
Alec Hogg (00:09.627)
Well, the Olympics are just around the corner and one of the areas that is going to be in focus for most of the world is security. And that’s after more than 50 years ago, 11 Israeli athletes were murdered at the Munich Olympic Games.
Alec Hogg (00:45.775)
Hey Rory, good to be talking to you, man. We can’t let the moment pass though without starting off with your son Kyle. Was that a, the Blue Bulls versus the Glasgow Warriors where your son was the captain of the Glasgow Warriors? Was that a proud moment for the Stain family, no doubt.
Rory Steyn (01:04.391)
Man, Alec it was huge. I was in the USA as head of security for the three American venues for the T20 World Cup. And on the 15th of June, when Glasgow Warriors beat Munster in Limerick, I made immediate arrangements. I got home on Wednesday, attended the first training session, and watched these boys. I couldn’t believe how calm and focused they were. I thought those bulls are in trouble, and so it proved to be.
Alec Hogg (01:48.142)
You were the only one in South Africa, it seems, who felt that way outside of the Glasgow Warriors camp. But a fun moment for the family. And you say focus, so that’s pretty much what you do. We know you as the bodyguard for Nelson Mandela. And then you retired and went off into the private sector and you’ve built an incredible global business. Just help us with some of the big events that you look after.
Rory Steyn (02:18.653)
Sure, I left the police in June of ’99. On the 17th of June, I flew to England for the Cricket World Cup. Dr. Bacher sent me there to observe. Australia toured in late ’93 into ’94, months before the election that elected Madiba. The 1972 Munich Olympics were a watershed in both security and sport. I’ve worked on several World Cups in cricket, rugby, and football, and six Olympic Games. The head of security for the International Olympic Committee is a friend of mine, and we had a long chat about the Olympic Games in Paris. I’m a little concerned. Threats have been made, but the French are making all the right noises. The Olympic Games is such a big footprint. You’ve got surfing in Tahiti, football in Lyon, it’s not just Paris. It’s very difficult to cover that footprint.
Alec Hogg (07:27.762)
Are you involved at all in these Olympics?
Rory Steyn (07:30.588)
No, for the first time I am going purely as a spectator. I leave on Sunday. My sister-in-law, Jill, made me promise three years ago that I would take her to an Olympic Games. So we’re going for a week. The Olympic Games are like nothing else. It is truly the pinnacle of human achievement. If anyone has a bucket list, put an Olympics on there. Just go to one, two, three, or four of the events and experience the vibe. It’s incredible. You’ve got the best athletes, the best officials, and wonderful venues. They’re going to play beach volleyball underneath the Eiffel Tower, tennis at Roland Garros. The opening ceremony will be along the river Seine, not in a stadium. It’s going to be incredible.
Alec Hogg (08:44.903)
Rory, what about the security of those superstars? You remember from the weekend, Xander Schauffele, who won the British Open, is participating in the golf. What about security for guys like Scotty Scheffler, LeBron James?
Rory Steyn (09:09.728)
They do. The US Olympic Committee has the benefit of federal agencies like the FBI and the State Department. For high-profile athletes like the NBA players, the NBA will probably be involved. The NBA has vendors, and we’ve worked with them. Countries like Israel, Britain, and Australia will also send their athletes with protection. So there will be a mixture of government and private security.
Alec Hogg (10:22.708)
Almost like there’ll be as many security personnel as there are athletes.
Rory Steyn (10:27.668)
Not quite, but it’ll be a good number. The challenge is that athletes are least accessible when they are performing, which is when they are most high profile. So strategies require a huge amount of communication and coordination.
Alec Hogg (12:54.896)
And the lower-profile athletes, like South Africa’s rowers, they’ll be out there rowing in an area which presumably would be very much more difficult to secure than a swimming pool.
Rory Steyn (13:08.38)
Exactly. It’s those endurance events that require more than a stadium, like the cycling road race. It’s a real concern. There is a huge multinational global intelligence operation with its nexus in Paris. Every local police department in those towns hosting different Olympic events are all involved in massive planning. The International Olympic Committee relies heavily on the host nation to secure the events.
Alec Hogg (16:02.85)
Are they good at that? The French, you’d think the old days, the French Foreign Legion was held up as one of the best.
Rory Steyn (16:12.663)
Many people make jokes about the French, but those behind the computer screens scouring the web and dark web know exactly what they’re doing.
Alec Hogg (16:30.89)
Americans, not so much at the moment, if you’re listening to the hearings on Capitol Hill after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. What do you make of all of that and now the criticism of the Secret Service in the United States?
Rory Steyn (17:01.046)
I never want to prejudge an incident like the attempted Trump assassination. Give the investigation time. There were eight shots fired, not just the five initially thought. It appears that the roof was left exposed and that control of that rooftop was handed to the local police. Even if handed over, somebody needed to check. This investigation will reveal gaps in the plan.
Rory Steyn (19:20.104)
When we worked with Madiba, our mantra was “watch the hands.” We dominated the five-meter radius around our president. With the advent of suicide bombers, that radius increased to about 25 or 30 meters. Then came drones, and we had to figure out how to deal with them. The greatest danger has always been a world-class sniper. You dominate the high ground, and this investigation needs to reveal how that rooftop was not covered and why not.
Alec Hogg (22:20.274)
Fascinating. In South Africa, we’ve had an attempted assassination on an advocate working for the revenue services. Although it was unsuccessful, the situation is troubling. On X, the former Twitter, a commentator exposed corruption and has been targeted with a million-rand bounty. This person had to leave the country for safety.
Rory Steyn (22:25.731)
Yes.
Alec Hogg (22:39.168)
At the highest levels, there are significant issues. But what about those without the protection of a Blue Light Brigade? How do they protect themselves and avoid becoming victims?
Rory Steyn (23:04.394)
I have great respect for whistleblowers—people of extreme integrity who speak out despite the risks. Graham Joffe, for instance, had to leave the country after exposing issues at the Olympic authorities and faced threats to his life. The situation has become so dire that it seems almost like impunity exists for those settling scores by hiring hitmen.
Alec Hogg (23:48.768)
He’s still in America.
Rory Steyn (24:14.092)
The Daily Maverick recently reported that between 5,000 and 100,000 Rand is spent on these activities, a small amount for those benefiting from corruption. There have been around 140 to 160 political assassinations this year alone. KZN politics and incidents like the Umbombela Stadium murders show the extent of the problem. It’s almost like vigilantism and mafia behaviour. We need action from figures like Ian Cameron and Senzo Ntunu.
Alec Hogg (26:14.584)
How well protected are Senzo Mchunu and Ian Cameron?
Rory Steyn (26:21.670)
Senzo Mchunu, as a cabinet minister, has VIP protection. However, police training has suffered recently. Improving intelligence and training for police is crucial. We started a charity for the families of fallen officers due to the high number of casualties. We need to address these issues comprehensively.
Alec Hogg (28:05.378)
Comparing your expertise to local struggles, there’s clearly a need for better collaboration. Moving on to Formula One.
Rory Steyn (28:26.084)
Yes.
Alec Hogg (28:30.335)
The new Arts and Culture Minister, Gayton McKenzie, has expressed a desire to bring Formula One back to South Africa. You’ve been involved in the discussions. What’s the status?
Rory Steyn (28:55.652)
We were close to hosting the Formula One Grand Prix at Kyalami this year, but it fell through due to geopolitical issues involving Putin. The plan was well-prepared, with funding from private equity and the Gauteng government. However, the project was halted and moved to Belgium. The plans remain, and it’s just a matter of securing funding.
Alec Hogg (33:15.782)
Let’s avoid any political missteps this time.
Rory Steyn (33:18.171)
Absolutely. Despite the challenges, our people and country have so much to offer. We need to continue showcasing our strengths.
Alec Hogg (34:18.629)
Tim from Egg Chasers highlighted your role in his summary of his South Africa tour.
Rory Steyn (34:25.083)
He did. He enjoyed the steak I served him and plans to return for more South African cuisine.
Alec Hogg (34:32.187)
For an Englishman, South African steak is exceptional. Rory, thank you for your insights. We look forward to our next discussion. Rory is the co-founder of NSA Global Security Consultants. I’m Alec Hogg from BizNews.com
Rory Steyn (35:02.737)
You’re welcome.
Rory Steyn (35:14.919)
Thank you, everyone.
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Source Link: https://www.biznews.com/interviews/2024/07/23/rory-steyn-olympics-f1-kyalami-assassins
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