2022 Champions League final: ‘Complete breakdown of authority’, says Liverpool fan as he retraces the mayhem
Bringing Liverpool fan Daniel Nicolson back to the Stade de France was a chance for him to retrace a night he would rather forget.
But one he wants to ensure isn’t forgotten – to ensure the actions and inactions outside last year’s Champions League final are acted on.
Standing outside gate A, Mr Nicolson remembered: “A complete breakdown of any sort of authority.”
From authorities who initially tried to falsely deflect the blame on to ticketless Liverpool fans arriving too late for the climax of the season – a glamour final against Real Madrid.
Vindication has come with the publication of the review commissioned by UEFA that ended up assigning more blame on European football’s governing body than French officials entrusted with policing and crowd management.
The initial disorder was caused by local authorities beyond the Stade de France perimeters.
The routes Liverpool fans were directed to follow from a train station were long and chaotic.
There was a clear lack of stewarding to direct people to the correct access points.
And people were funnelled into bottlenecks and entry lanes that lacked a clear and safe means for those at the wrong entrance to leave.
“I just can’t believe they got it wrong,” Mr Nicolson said.
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What actually happened at the Stade de France?
Compounding the organisational disarray was the social unrest caused by locals attacking fans and attempting to climb over fences.
The use of tear gas and pepper spray was used far too proactively and intimidatingly by police to attempt to disperse those disruptive locals from the area.
Fans – particularly asthmatic ones – were caught up in it. Riot police fell to the ground as even they struggled with the chemicals.
Risks were exacerbated by fears of crushing as turnstiles were closed and fans were shut out.
In the mayhem, security officials tried to prevent media filming – grabbing at journalists to remove their fans and ordering footage to be deleted.
But the vast amount of footage quickly quashed the attempt at a cover-up. French authorities on the night of 28 May 2022 ordered UEFA to remove a reference to the locals being a source of disruption.
The review concluded the lack of coordination and control – outside of UEFA’s remit to dictate instructions to police – flowed from a strategy that viewed Liverpool fans as a threat.
They ended up being the ones left trying to prevent lives being lost as they confronted disarray and dangers on the outskirts of Paris.
Mr Nicolson said: “This cannot happen again. I was so relieved when the report came out and it vindicated us as fans.
“It exonerated us of any involvement in the absolute shambles that happened here. But it’s now time for UEFA to act upon those recommendations. Not just for us but for all football fans.”
Supporters are still waiting to hear a French response to UEFA’s report and guarantees they’ll be better protected in future.
In a club statement, Liverpool claimed recommendations to prevent organisational failures from an initial French senate inquiry are yet to be implemented.
And the UEFA review team found complacency around major event planning here.
Next year the Olympics are in Paris – using the Stade de France for the athletics events. And the International Olympic Committee told Sky News it has been assured changes recommended will be implemented at stadiums before then – at the men’s Rugby World Cup later this year.
Report co-author Prof Clifford Stott told Sky News: “We should be trying to work out how we can work together moving forward to ensure that situations like Paris never come about again.”
