Stade de France incidents: UEFA to reimburse Liverpool supporters

Europe 1 with AFP 3:11 p.m., March 7, 2023

UEFA will reimburse all tickets for Liverpool supporters for the last Champions League final in Paris, which was marred by numerous incidents for which the "Reds" fans were first held responsible before being entirely cleared.

Harshly criticized in mid-February by an independent investigation report, the European organization announced on Tuesday that it would return to the Liverpool club its entire allocation, i.e. 19,618 tickets, and that it would then charge it with organizing the refunds.

Other viewers may seek compensation

Fans of Real Madrid, winner of the final on May 28, 2022 (1-0), and other spectators affected by the chaos at the Stade de France will also be able to seek compensation, but on a case-by-case basis, adds UEFA. in his press release.

"We recognize the negative experiences these fans had" on May 28, 2022, "and through this program we will reimburse those who had purchased tickets and who were most affected by the difficulties in accessing the stadium," said Theodore Theodoridis, UEFA General Secretary.

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While the subject has strongly mobilized supporters' organisations, "we have taken into account a large number of points of view expressed publicly and privately and we believe that we have designed a complete and fair system", pleaded the leader.

Endless wait, supporters and families sprayed with tear gas or victims of robbery... The system for maintaining order during this final, the kick-off of which had to be delayed by 37 minutes, had given rise to scenes of chaos in Saint-Denis, provoking a lively controversy in France and England.

Liverpool supporters fully cleared

The independent investigation commissioned by UEFA concluded that the sports body was "primarily responsible" for these serious incidents, also criticizing the use by the French police of tear gas and pepper spray.

Above all, this report completely clears the fans of the "Reds", initially accused by UEFA of having arrived late at the stadium, then, in particular by the French Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, of having massively presented counterfeit tickets.

The experts had concluded that there was "no evidence of an abnormally large number of fans without tickets or with invalid tickets".

They had criticized the authorities' figures as "falsely inflated and exaggerated", and suggested that this exaggeration may have been intended to "deflect responsibility for operational failures".

They also said they were "stunned" that the French authorities had likened Liverpool supporters to hooligans, "an inexplicable misconception", and that they had put in place the law enforcement system according to this image.

"Recognition of the fiasco"

"Fans were gassed, robbed, attacked, people feared for their lives. What should have been the high point of the season for those from England and Spain turned out to be a maelstrom of chaos", recalled in mid-February Spirit of Shankly, one of the main fan groups of the "Reds".

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In a sober statement, Liverpool specify that it is "a UEFA reimbursement policy" and refer any questions to the European organization, while Spirit of Shankly and the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association believe that the body has "come a little way towards acknowledging its part of the fiasco".

"But this does not excuse UEFA, exempt them from criticism or diminish the need to implement all the recommendations of the independent authority," the two organizations continue.