UEFA has brought in new measures to improve safeguards for fans attending their finals in the wake of last season's Champions League fiasco
The Liverpool supporters' group Spirit of Shankly has welcomed UEFA's move to implement the recommendations made by the Independent Review Panel following the events at last season's Champions League final in Paris.
In a statement released on Friday, the governing body confirmed that after assessing all of the recommendations published by the Independent Review Panel, they have brought in measures to enhance the existing safeguards for fans attending their club and national team competition finals.
The measures contained in the action plan cover every aspect of the planning and staging of UEFA competition finals. They concern standard operating procedures, host bidding requirements, and internal compliance mechanisms so that these events provide a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for all, ensuring spectators are well-treated, including by making stadiums more accessible to children, older people, and people with disabilities.
UEFA has drawn both on the recommendations of the panel and the findings of an internal working group established immediately after the 2022 Champions League final. The group was formed to examine the poor treatment of Liverpool fans outside of last season's clash with Real Madrid.
The match was postponed for 37 minutes due to a combination of operational issues away from the venue that created accessibility issues for distressed fans, especially those with disabilities and asthma, who had to deal with tear gas and pepper spray.
There is a 'big' bottleneck when the Reds fans are cornered through a narrow gap. Tear gas was also fired into the area where thousands of Liverpool fans were traveling.
The SOS, in response to UEFA's statement, believes the regulator has listened and has a plan in place to address 21 key findings. “In accordance with their commitment, after the independent investigation was announced in February 2023, UEFA met with representatives of supporters, including the Spirit of Shankly and the Association of Advocates of Disabilities. disability Liverpool, on May 3 to present their response and action plan,” said Spirit of Shankly. read.
"Independent investigation into what happened during the Champions League final in Paris in May 2022, which relieves fans of responsibility for the chaos and holds UEFA accountable for failures in organization and security, made 21 recommendations for hosting and hosting future events.
“Shortly after the report was published, representatives from the SOS, LDSA, Football Supporters Association and European Football Supporters met UEFA in Liverpool in February to clarify their expectations. us about this. take all major actions, as required by the investigation, in its power to improve the safety and experience of supporters at future events hosted by the regulator .'.
"On behalf of all Liverpool supporters caught up in the terrible events of May last year, we have called on UEFA to unconditionally apologize and fully retract the lies and slander against supporters before and right after the game. We received this as well as refunds for the majority of those who joined.
“We have also asked that all recommendations from the investigation be accepted and implemented along with a commitment to ensure, where possible, that no football fan faces problems that cannot be found. Liverpool supporters encountered at the Stade de France.
"At the meeting on 3 May, UEFA Secretary-General Theodore Theodoridis presented the full response. It will take time to review, but the first response from all fan groups, the FSE and the FSA as well, is to be expected. present, is that UEFA has listened and come up with a plan
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