UEFA announced on Monday it was opening an “independent report” into the security chaos before the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris.

European football’s governing body said the report would “examine decision making, responsibility and behaviours of all entities involved in the final”.

UEFA have appointed Portuguese politician Tiago Brandao Rodrigues to oversee the report on a pro bono basis on the completion of which they will decide upon a course of action.

“Evidence will be gathered from all relevant parties,” UEFA said.

“The findings of the independent report will be made public,” it promised.

Brandao Rodrigues has served as Portuguese Minister of Education, was a member of the World Anti-doping Agency and was Portugal’s Olympic attaché during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

France on Monday blamed “massive” ticket fraud for the chaotic scenes that marred the Champions League final on Saturday which saw Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0.

But the French government has faced a barrage of criticism from the press and politicians in the United Kingdom over the policing of the match.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Liverpool had provided their supporters with paper tickets, not electronic, which allowed for the possibility of what he described as a “massive fraud on an industrial scale”.

More than two-thirds of the tickets presented by some 62,000 Liverpool supporters had been fakes, the minister added.

“I want to say once again that the decisions taken prevented deaths or serious injury,” Darmanin told reporters after holding an emergency meeting on Monday.

Liverpool supporters were tear-gassed after waiting in huge queues before the clash against Real Madrid at the Stade de France, with the access problems leading to a kickoff delay of 36 minutes.

UEFA initially blamed the late arrival of fans for the delay before later issuing a statement blaming the issues on fake tickets.

Source: AL Jazeera 

BDST: 1038 HRS, May 31, 2022
MN