According to an independent commission, the main responsibility for the spectator chaos before the Champions League final in May 2022 lies with the European football association UEFA. UEFA apologizes to the fans.
Many Liverpool fans didn't make it to the Stade de France in time despite valid tickets
“It is remarkable that nobody lost their life.” This sentence culminates in a 220-page report of an independent investigation into the spectator chaos surrounding the Champions League final in May 2022 in St. Denis near Paris. The game between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid (0-1) had to be kicked off about half an hour late after tumultuous scenes had taken place around the Stade de France. Around 2,700 fans were unable to enter the stadium despite valid tickets.
Around 230 were injured by tear gas
As the organizer of the final, UEFA bears the main responsibility for the organizational errors, “which almost led to catastrophe,” according to the report of the investigation, which was commissioned by the European Football Association itself. The behavior of the French authorities was also criticized.
Thousands of Liverpool fans had been ushered from the train station to a narrow concrete-lined checkpoint near a motorway. In front of this, the crowds of fans had been jammed for hours. When some fans climbed over walls to get into the stadium in time, the police used tear gas. 230 people were injured. As it turned out later, the police had falsely claimed that they were Liverpool fans without tickets.
< p>The Champions League final between Liverpool and Madrid started 37 minutes late
The police prefect of the capital, Didier Lallement, who was controversial because of the often brutal intervention of the Parisian security forces, had then retired as the chief law enforcement officer of the French capital. The chaos at the Champions League final was the last straw.
UEFA: “Liverpool fans wrongly accused”
UEFA says it now wants the result analyze the investigation report. They are also working on refunding the money for the fans who did not get to the stadium. “On behalf of UEFA, I would like to once again offer my sincere apologies to all those who were affected,” said UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis. “In particular, I would like to apologize to Liverpool supporters for the experience many of them have had attending the game and for the messages that were released before and during the game that caused them to be wrongly were held responsible for the situation that led to the delayed kick-off.”
sn/asz (dpa, sid, UEFA)