Independent Panel finds UEFA and French Authorities responsible for Champions League Final Chaos, absolving Liverpool fans

The 2022 Champions League Final in Paris was one of the most eagerly anticipated finals of recent years. The game itself was not the spectacle it was billed to be, with Real Madrid edging out Liverpool 1-0. However, events on the pitch were to be overshadowed events by off it.


Fans were subjected to dangerous crushes, excessive use of tear gas, muggings, and assaults by local gangs. It was clear that the authorities were woefully unprepared for the event, and what preparation they had done had contributed to the chaos which almost ended in disaster.


Shockingly, the French police intelligence report on the Liverpool fans wrongly associated the Hillsborough disaster of 1989 with football hooliganism. According to a report by Michel Cadot, delegate from the French sports ministry, this shameful misconception informed the authority’s decision to deploy riot police and utilise the heavy-handed policing that Liverpool fans fell victim to.

Image credits: Flickr

Even before a ball was kicked, UEFA and French authorities began to deflect blame onto the Liverpool supporters. A message was displayed on the TV screen inside the stadium, explaining that the delay of kick-off was ‘due to the late arrival of fans at the stadium.’

This was simply not the case. Liverpool fans had been outside the ground in their thousands for hours. Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol stated that he arrived at the ground four hours before kick-off, and that he was “shocked at how many supporters had turned up.”

The issue was in fact caused by the funnelling of thousands of fans through narrow bottlenecks, and through minimal turnstiles, creating dangerous crushes.

The chaos continued after the game. Both Real Madrid and Liverpool fans were again subject to muggings, robberies, and attacks by local gangs. UFC star and Liverpool supporter Paddy Pimblett likened it to a scene from The Purge, as many of the gang members wielded baseball bats, machetes, and knives. Many fans have since stated that police were nowhere to be seen, yet another example of the gross neglect and lack of preparation that had put supporters’ welfare at risk on numerous occasions.


Charlie Pyne, a third-year student here at Leeds, was in Paris on that day. He told me about his experience.


After the game whilst looking for a hotel, he was attacked by a local gang and robbed, and was rejected from hotel rooms because he was bleeding. Whilst looking for a place, he was attacked again and ended up spending the night in the hospital. Charlie told me that ‘some people saw some pretty messed up things and the police did nothing about it’ and that Paris on that night was ‘one of the few places I’ve been where I felt unsafe.’

All the while, UEFA and French authorities continued to try and deflect blame from themselves, and onto Liverpool fans. The response of authorities in the days following events at the final only fuelled the overwhelming sense of anger and injustice amongst fans.

Take this tweet from Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, French Minister for Sport, after the Final:

Similarly, French Interior Minister, Gerard Darmanin, blamed “fraud at an industrial level,” claiming that over 70% of fans outside the stadium were either ticketless or possessed fakes. Darmanin held British fans entirely accountable for the problems, stating that “difficulties arose only from the entrance relation to the Liverpool supporters and not the other entrances.” His statement was strongly condemned by Liverpool and the French left and right wing. Polling found that 76% of the French public did not believe his statement.

On May 30th UEFA announced they were commissioning an independent report into events surrounding the final. The panel published their findings in a 220-page document on Monday 13 th February.

The panel concluded that there were two key organisational failures that led to the chaos. These were the UEFA ‘model’ for organising the final, as well as the safety, security and service model used which was used on the day, based on incorrect assumptions that Liverpool fans posed significant threats to public order. The panel made 21 critical recommendations to ensure the safe passage for all football fans at future UEFA matches.

You can read the full review, including all 21 recommendations issued by the independent panel by using this link.

Liverpool FC stated that it “welcomes the report into the chaos” and they have urged UEFA to “do the right thing and implement the 21 recommendations.” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has stated that he thought “Paris was the worst possible (choice) in that specific arena on that day.” Liverpool supporters’ group ‘The Spirit of Shankly’ said that they “expect an apology for the lies and smears UEFA so quickly aimed at supporters.”

UEFA welcomed the findings of the report, stating that they are “currently analysing the findings of the Review” and that it intends to “announce a special refund scheme for fans.” UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis said, “On behalf of UEFA, I would like to apologise most sincerely once again to all those who were affected by the events that unfolded.” He also extended a further apology to Liverpool fans for “unjustly blaming them for the situation leading to the delayed kick-off.”

However, the efforts of UEFA and French ministry members to deflect blame from themselves is shameful, and their ‘special refund scheme’ will do little to erase the horror witnessed by peaceful football fans that day.

Bazball – looking ahead to NZ and the Ashes

Since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took charge of the England Men’s Test Team in April 2022, the side has been on an imperious run of form. Nine wins out of ten, following one win out of their previous seventeen, it is an astonishing change in performance that, understandably, saw captain Stokes crowned ICC men’s Test Cricketer of the Year.

However, it is the style in which the side has played that has captured the cricketing world. Having seen Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum rock up to his first press conference as coach in jeans, sunglasses, and trainers, maybe we should have all predicted the cool and fearless approach he and Stokes have got England to follow.

England have scored runs at an unprecedented run rate and Stokes has on regular occasions dispelled notions that he cares about losing games with brazen declarations and aggressive field settings – most notably seen in the victory in Rawalpindi in December. However, getting players to leave fear by the wayside requires much more thought and skill than it may seem, this new regime ensures players feel a sense of belonging and trust. Only when players are totally comfortable in their environment can a fear of failure be ousted with such ease.

What does this mean then for arguably the two toughest series to face the Stokes-McCullum era yet: New Zealand away, and Australia at home in The Ashes?

The two-Test series against The Black Caps starts February 16 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, with the 2nd Test starting February 24 in Wellington. England have not won a series in New Zealand since 2007/08, such is New Zealand’s impressive home record, that side, remarkably, did feature James Anderson and Stuart Broad. This month, these two great seamers arrive in New Zealand backed by a captain ready to attack from ball one and a coach eagerly pressing his players to challenge the status quo of test cricket and to redefine what is possible on a cricket pitch.

Traditionalists and sceptics alike have been predicting the brazen approach adopted by Stokes and McCullum to fail but every opportunity to succeed has been taken emphatically. A 3-0 home series win against New Zealand seemed unimaginable following a dismal performance in Australia just over 12 months ago, let alone the idea that 378 could be chased down in 76.4 overs against a high-class India attack.

Through moments of individual brilliance with the bat, most notably by Jonny Bairstow, the English summer saw incredible success with a style not seen before in test cricket. Understandably, England will arrive in New Zealand with a bit more of a spring in their step than in times previous yet this series is just an appetiser for the main course: The Ashes. 

Australia won every test in their summer convincingly; their hopes will be high – provided they avoid humiliation in the upcoming four-match test series in India – and they too have undergone a revolution of their own. 

Under the leadership of Pat Cummins (who was made captain after former captain Tim Paine’s involvement in a sexting scandal with a Cricket Tasmania employee) Australia feel different.

Paine and former coach Justin Langer, controversially sacked after winning the Ashes 4-0 and the T20 World Cup within a matter of months, represented a tough, machismo Australia synonymous with their successful sides of the 90s and 00s. Yet Cummins brings delicacy and a humble image to the team, grouped with characters such as Usman Khawaja – who speaks effortlessly about the challenges of being one of few Australian Muslim role models – and Alex Carey – the South Australian ‘keeper who seems to have a smile glued to his face’.

This Australia side has challenged the alpha-male dogma of their predecessors and they seem better for it. So, is this Ashes going to be a contest of two sides where enjoyment of cricket and freedom of expression is of paramount importance? Does this bode well for a spectacular series? 

Many have doubted whether the ‘Bazball’ approach will hold up in the face of Australia’s intimidating and skilful attack, but what is is for sure, is that these two upcoming series will be watched with growing anticipation for what lies ahead in the English summer.