French inquiry blames organisers for Champions League fiasco where Liverpool fans were tear-gassed in Paris
- French senate concludes problems caused by “string of dysfunctions” including a lack of preparation by French authorities
- But senators stop short of calling for resignation of Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin
An inquiry by the French Senate into crowd chaos at this year’s Champions League final in Paris concluded that organisers were to blame, not supporters, undermining claims by the police and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
A fact-finding mission led by two senators was set up after the Liverpool-Real Madrid game on May 28 which was marred by a delayed kick-off, crushes, tear gas and street crime.
The investigation concluded that the problems were caused by a “string of dysfunctions” including a lack of preparation by French authorities and poorly executed security arrangements.
“These dysfunctions were at every level, not only during the implementation but also during preparations in advance,” the co-chair of the inquiry Laurent Lafon told reporters at a press conference.
The final report contradicted repeated statements from Darmanin that Liverpool fans were mostly responsible, with the minister claiming that up to 40,000 of them travelled to the stadium either with no tickets or with fake ones.
“The first statements [by the minister] do not match up with reality,” Francois-Noel Buffet, a fellow co-chair of the investigation, told reporters.
“The conclusions of the minister on the evening and the day after were not the right ones,” Lafon added. “It was a biased conclusion, imprecise.”