Report 'damning' into how Liverpool fans were mistreated at Champions League final in Paris
A host of recommendations have been made
Accepting recommendations following a damning report into how Liverpool fans were treated by police at the 2022 Champions League final would be 'a massive change for football supporters throughout Europe', according to the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association.
Thousands of Reds were penned in against perimeter fences in Paris and many were sprayed with tear gas - which contributed to kick-off being delayed for the game against Real Madrid.
The independent French report, from the Défenseur Des droits, calls for rule changes in how tear gas is used at sporting events and for police to be reminded that the safety and integrity of spectators must remain their central focus.
Ted Morris, chair of the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association, said:
"What was surprising was that they (the French government) were going to take action against the French police, which doesn't usually happen and as I sit here today, nearly two years to the anniversary of my appearance in the French with the chair of the Liverpool supporters Board, Joe Blott, which basically started the exoneration process for Liverpool fans when we were able to clearly and articulately explain to the senators, this is a true reflection of what happened in the Stade de France.
"It was shocking to read"
"But then words are just words - when you see it in print like this and as damning as it is, it was shocking to read - it really was. Especially when it goes into detail of nine-year old children and 15=year old children suffering at the hands of French police. The deployment of tear gas when it clearly states there (that) it was just wrong.
"There's already something in place - the Saint-Denis convention is there, which is a bit ridiculous, really when we were in Saint-Denis, which says that football supporters are key stakeholders.
"The change is already there"
"One of the things that's made the major difference in Europe this season is before every game, supporters groups on both sets of teams, both sets of clubs, local police in Merseyside and local police over in Atalanta last have met before the game and we've been able to say what we expect to happen now, we will behave and how we expect to be treated and it's resulted in the best experiences I've ever had travelling around Europe with Liverpool Football Club.
"So the change is already there. It's just that we need to make that the norm throughout football that you know, football supporters are seen as key stakeholders and are there to enjoy the experience, not to have the experience destroyed for us really, which is what happened at the Stade de France.
"We've got to keep fighting"
"Last July, UEFA put new recommendations out to all football clubs going round Europe when they go on the pre-game reccies, you don't just have to look at the facilities within the stadium, you have to look how disable supporters are going to be able to enter the stadium, leave the stadium, transport to and from the airport to train station. Massive change has come from this last season. In Europe we had record numbers of disabled supporters travel. We had a positive experience.
So out of Stade de France, there's a lot of good coming from it, but the thing is, we've just got to keep fighting for it. We can't just think 'oh, well, OK, that's the norm now and sit back and just think, oh, well, that's it.' Now it's just a constant battle and I look forward to the day when it's not a battle and we've got a quality and fairness and we can just go and watch a game of football, enjoy it and go home like anyone else can."
The report found that the use of tear gas to prevent fans entering the stadium without tickets 'was not absolutely necessary or appropriate in the circumstances' - adding 'there is no doubt that this used of force led to a panic reaction among the supporters, which put people at risk.'
Other recommendations include:
- Adopting the tools needed to count in an accurate and detailed manner all the medium force weapons used by law enforcement officers
- Issue instructions and orders systematically in foreign languages at major sporting and cultural events, depending on the nationality of those attending
- That body cameras be systematically enabled whenever law enforcement officers use weapons of any kind as part of their law enforcement duties
- That a system be set up to collect, through open-ended questions, complaints from foreign nationals living abroad who are unable to visit a police station in France
- That the Minister of the Interior remind commanding officers of their ethical obligations to supervise the actions of their subordinates.
The independent report highlights 'organisational shortcomings', a lack of a risk assessment, and a wrong approach in which Liverpool fans were treated as a significant risk to public disorder.
The Minister of the Interior has two months to respond.