The controversy takes a legal turn. The Paris police chief, Didier Lallement, has decided to take legal action for a “massive counterfeit fraud” in the Champions League final, disrupted by numerous incidents near the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
In a report to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, of which Agence France-Presse (AFP) learned on Sunday May 29, the Paris police prefect explains that he “considers it necessary to identify those responsible for this massive counterfeit ticket fraud which could have had very serious consequences on the safety of spectators both during access and in the stadium itself”. “The seriousness of these facts justifies, in my opinion, a referral to the public prosecutor”writes Mr. Lallement.
On Saturday, the start of the prestigious Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool (1-0 victory for the Spanish club), was delayed for thirty-six minutes due to problems with access to the stadium for England supporters. The pre-match was marked by chaotic scenes around the stadium, with no serious injuries.
Ministerial meeting Monday
Earlier today, the Ministry of Sports and the Olympics announced that the organizers of the final, the police and local authorities would meet at 11 a.m. on Monday to “Finding Out the Dysfunctions” and fan access problems at the Stade de France.
“With the Minister of the Interior, we deplore the incidents that marred the evening of the Champions League on Saturday evening at the Stade de France and regret that some supporters with tickets were unable to attend the match”wrote in a press release the new Minister of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games Amélie Oudéa-Castera.
“The priority now is to identify very precisely the dysfunctions with UEFA [l’Union européenne des associations de football]the French Football Federation, the Stade de France, the Paris Prefecture of Police, the Prefecture of Seine-Saint-Denis and the town hall of Saint-Denis in order to learn all the lessons to prevent such incidents from happening again. for our future major international sporting events”continues the press release.
Many critics in France and abroad
From 6:30 p.m., many fans holding tickets were blocked around the stadium, before accessing the first security checkpoints. Around 8 p.m., tempers began to heat up, a few dozen people not hesitating to climb the last access barriers inside the sports enclosure. The police intervened, dispersing the crowd and passing supporters with tickets, including families, with tear gas.
Non violent, non threatening, tries to scan his ticket, pepper sprayed/ tear gassed for nothing by Police.… https://t.co/5rFi2EMz0v
According to the European Football Union (UEFA), “thousands of spectators” showed up with “counterfeit notes that did not work”creating “an accumulation of spectators” in the queues.
From the end of the match, Saturday evening, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin had pointed the finger at the attitude of “thousands of British fans without tickets or with counterfeit tickets who forced entry” of the Stade de France. “Attempts to break into and defraud thousands of England fans have complicated the work of stewards and police forces but will not tarnish this victory”had outbid the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra.
Version of the authorities undermined by testimonies
From Saturday evening, numerous testimonies from journalists or English supporters on the spot, accompanied by photos and videos, however undermined this version, pointing the finger at a deficient organization and an excessively aggressive attitude of the police.
The British police of Merseyside-Liverpool present at the stadium had mentioned on Twitter “shocking circumstances” and defended the behavior “exemplary” supporters of Reds during the meeting, ” the worst “ which she says she has never had to deal with in terms of organization. Also present at the stadium, Labor MP for West Liverpool, Ian Byrne, denounced a “Horrible security” and a “life-threatening organization”. “We were treated like animals. It was horrible “he lamented at the microphone of the Sky Sports channel.
“We are extremely disappointed with the access issues and breaches of the security perimeter that Liverpool supporters have suffered”regretted the English club in a press release.
Critics have been numerous, in France and abroad, about the organization and management of this sporting event which served as a test for the Rugby World Cup, organized by France in 2023 and for the Olympic Games. of Paris, which will be held in 2024.
Considering Saturday evening as a “humiliation for our country”Michel Savin, senator Les Républicains (LR) of Isère and president of the study group on sports practices and major sporting events of the Senate, for his part announced that he was going to ask, on Monday, the opening of a parliamentary inquiry “to shed light on the causes and dysfunctions that marred the organization of this event”.