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A UEFA commissioned report has concluded the organisation holds “primary responsibility” for the shambolic safety failures that put Liverpool supporters at risk on the day of the 2021/22 Champions League final.
Chaos erupted around Stade de France as Reds fans in particular were subjected to tear gas and dangerous crushes of people attempting to access the ground.
The review has now concluded there was an “absence of overall control or oversight of safety and security” and that aggressive policing methods were “inappropriately based on incorrect assumptions that Liverpool FC supporters posed significant threats to public order”.
The report also states Liverpool fans were given wrong public transport informational which led to too many supporters trying to access the south-west ASP3 entrance.
Stakeholders interviewed by the report’s panel all agreed the final was a “near miss” and praised Liverpool supporters, who were “probably instrumental in protecting vulnerable people and averting what might well have been more serious injuries and deaths” with their behaviour.
On the night of the final, UEFA had claimed the delayed kick-off time was due to supporters arriving late. The report asserts this was “objectively untrue”.
French authorities are also expected to be criticised for deflecting responsibility with particular emphasis on claims regarding false tickets. They were also reliant on tear gas and pepper spray on fans who had nowhere to disperse to.
Over 2,500 Liverpool fans were unable to get into the stadium to watch the game, which Real Madrid won 1-0 thanks to a strike from Vinicius Junior.
UEFA has “welcomed the findings” and is “analysing the outcome of the review assessing them against its own analysis of the event plus the facts surrounding it”. They have also apologised to Liverpool supporters caught up in the chaos
UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis said: “I would like to apologise to the supporters of Liverpool FC for the experiences many of them had when attending the game and for the messages released prior to and during the game which had the effect of unjustly blaming them.”
A copy of the report had been leaked earlier on Monday, prompting a sharp response from Liverpool.
“It’s hugely disappointing that a report of such significance, such importance to football supporters’ lives and future safety, should be leaked and published in this way. It’s been over eight months of work by the independent panel and it is only right and proper to publish the contents of the report to our supporters appropriately.
“We will await to receive a copy of the report and digest it thoroughly before making any further comment.”
Saint Petersburg was originally meant to host the 2022 Champions League final, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced a late venue switch to Paris.
