A monthslong independent investigation into the dangerous overcrowding that jeopardized the safety of thousands of fans at last year’s Champions League final in Paris has placed the blame squarely on European soccer’s governing body, which organized the game. That no lives were lost in the crushes outside the stadium gates, the investigators’ harshly critical report concluded, was only “a matter of chance.”
It was concluded by the investigation that the senior officers of the ruling body were guilty of misconduct. UEFANumerous mistakes in preparations for Real Madrid and Liverpool will be hosting the final showcase match. a Situation where planning flaws could not be detected quickly and had to be addressed immediately. Then, fans were asked for their help. for the congestion that had put their safety — and potentially their lives — at risk.
The report is available here: which runs to more than 200 pagesAssigned part of the responsibility for the chaotic scenes outside the Stade de France to various other bodies, including the French police and the French soccer federation, it said the event’s owner, UEFA, “bears primary responsibility for failures which almost led to disaster.”
Liverpool fans were most affected by the situation. The poor organization of local transport strikers and the lack of proper transportation strikes led to crowd crushes where thousands of people had to be confined to fencing with nowhere else to go. Reports stated that the threat was made worse by tear gas being used by police before the game. Champions League After two years without pandemic restrictions, final showing full crowds
It was evident from the report that it could have ended in tragedy, withdrawing a A direct comparison can be made to the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy in which mistakes were made by police officers a A crush in an English stadium eventually resulted in the death of 97.
“In the judgment of the panel,” In comparing these incidents, the investigators made a note. “the different outcomes were a matter of chance.”
Investigators claimed that supporters were being blamed even though scenes were unfolding outside of the Stade de France. for It is chaos. Take note of the troubled scenes out there UEFA The announcement was made that the game’s start would be delayed due to the “late” Arrival of supporters “This claim was objectively untrue,” The report stated.
Later, French officials, including the interior minister Gérald Darmanin, blamed English fans for Darmanin was correct a “massive, industrial and organized fraud of fake tickets.” This report was commissioned by UEFAThe claim was not supported by any evidence, according to.
UEFA Its most high-ranking officials, including Martin Kallen (head of events), were specifically mentioned for Overall responsibility for what one of the report’s main authors described as a “near miss.”
“There was contributory fault from other stakeholders, but UEFA were at the wheel,” The report stated.
Publication of the final report It came several months later than expected; UEFA It was initially expected that the investigation would be complete by September, according to officials. This investigation required hundreds of interviews, as well the analysis of the footage. There were many hours of video taken by the supporters who got caught in the crowds while trying to enter the stadium. Dangerous bottlenecks, packed entrances and ramps, and tear gas employed by the police — sometimes sprayed indiscriminately at groups of supporters that included children and disabled fans — added to the chaos.
“Unfortunately, the enthusiasm around the game rapidly turned into a real ‘near miss’ which was harmful to a significant number of fans from both clubs,” The report stated. “This should never have happened at such an important sporting event, and it is unacceptable that it took place at the heart of the European continent.”
It is possible to use the term “near miss,” According to the panel, it was intentional and unanimously agreed on by all those who were interviewed. “an event almost turns into a mass-fatality catastrophe.”
New concerns were raised about security precautions. for next year’s Summer Olympics in Paris, with its authors describing events around the Champions League End as a “wake-up call” for Olympic organizers. According to the panel, evidence was collected from Michel Cadot (the French official who is responsible for organizing the Olympics). for It was suggested that major sporting events remained “a misconception about what actually happened and a complacency regarding what needs to change.”
A previous investigation of the Champions League Two French parliamentary committees declared the final verdict, blaming authorities for the unsafe overcrowding. a “fiasco” Unexpected results of a A combination of poor coordination, poor planning, and errors made by the authorities are responsible for Safety and organization
This new report contains many useful information a A painting gives a better view of the events that took place. a This is an example of organizational chaos with individuals making decisions without having a full understanding of what was going on in the moment. It was said UEFA’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, was asked to make a He had been present at the match control room and in touch with security officers, but he was not there to call for delaying kickoff. a Inaugural meeting with King of Spain a V.I.P. area.
In its entirety, this report attempts to illustrate how UEFA delegated to or removed from the oversight of security operations at the stadium in such a way that it “marginalized” Zeljko Pavlica is the head of its security and safety unit. a confidant of Ceferin’s.
Battalions made up of French riot officers greeted fans at the stadium in their protective attire and equipped with pepper spray, shields, and batons.
“The police, unchallenged and accepted without question by other stakeholders, adopted a model aimed at a nonexistent threat from football hooligans,” The panel added, “Ultimately the failures of this approach culminated in a policing operation that deployed tear gas and pepper spray: weaponry which has no place at a festival of football.”
UEFA It was criticised for the composition of the panel and concerns were raised over its neutrality following the appointment. a former education and sports minister in Portugal, Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, as chairman. Brandão had previously worked closely with Tiago Craveiro, who was hired last year as a Ceferin senior advisor
These claims can be countered by UEFA It added Kenny Scott as security chief and Amanda Jacks (a representative of the Britain-based Football Supporters Federation) to its board. Jacks informed Brandão on Monday that she had accepted an unspecified position at Liverpool and would be starting her new role in March.
It will be uncomfortable to read. for UEFAWith some of its highest officials under investigation for Their actions on the day as well as in the planning for This is the most important game on the European Soccer Calendar.
“Senior officials at the top of UEFA allowed this to happen, even though the shortcomings of its model were widely known at senior management level,” The report stated.
