UEFA to blame for Chaos in Athens -- Report

A DAMNING report criticising governing body Uefa for the chaos at the Champions League final in Athens is to be released.

The Football Supporters Federation (FSF) has produced a comprehensive 200-page dossier detailing serious failings that led to mayhem at the Olympic Stadium.

A small minority of Liverpool fans have come under fire from Uefa for using forged tickets or trying to sneak into the stadium.

But the FSF study pinpoints serious failings on the part of the governing body including:

Infrastructure problems with difficulties accessing the stadium, with no turnstiles or counters to stop those with rogue tickets.

Uefa’s paltry ticket allocation of 17,000 to fans of Liverpool and AC Milan.

Transport mayhem with angry fans facing cancelled flights on the way home and hours of delays.

The actions of police who used tear-gas and beat fans with batons.

Dr Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the FSF, told the ECHO: “It is wrong to blame Liverpool fans for what happened.

“It is the responsibility of UEFA to organise stewarding up to an appropriate standard.

“We are not condoning those who tried to get in the stadium with forged tickets, but a system should have been in place to get the right people into the ground.”

The report will be sent to Uefa, the government’s Department for Culture Media and Sport, the Home Office and British police.

The dossier has been based on eyewitness accounts of hundreds of fans who went to Athens.

It includes an account from Liverpool councillor Peter Milea, chairman of Liverpool council's ground safety advisory group, who attended the game.

Part of his account reads: “It was seven minutes before kick-off time that we got to a police barricade.

“When some tried to go up a flight of steps, the police reacted with batons and pepper gas. People were in tears as a result.”

From the Echo:

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=uefa-gets-blame-for-nightmare-in-athens%26method=full%26objectid=19428536%26siteid=50061-name_page.html


About bloody time, looks like we are the best fans in Europe 

We are the best fans in Europe (when we win)!

Anyway good to see an independent body has come up with the same conclusions that we arrived at - principally the following:

Dr Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the FSF, told the ECHO: “It is wrong to blame Liverpool fans for what happened.

“It is the responsibility of UEFA to organise stewarding up to an appropriate standard.

“We are not condoning those who tried to get in the stadium with forged tickets, but a system should have been in place to get the right people into the ground.”

Let's hope it is never repeated again.  Although if we have an 80,000 seater stadium one can only imagine the complexity of rules to get final tickets in the future.  Best bet is to start sticking to winning the Premiership.

“It is the responsibility of UEFA to organise stewarding up to an appropriate standard.

“We are not condoning those who tried to get in the stadium with forged tickets, but a system should have been in place to get the right people into the ground.”[/I]

In all honesty though, and I don't think many fans of other football teams would agree with me, but if United or Arsenal or even Chelsea were to reach a European Cup Final and were faced with such shoddy organisation and amateur security operations, they would try it on and attempt to make their way in with no tickets!

It is wrong to palm us off as the main culprits for a shabby event! The manner in which we were labelled the 'worst fans in the world' suggested that no other fans in the world would have tried the same! This, in the same competition as the Italians who've been rife with corruption, and violence towards officials at matches!

Let's hope it is never repeated again................

Some hopes JD.   
The Moscow stadium which is scheduled for the 2008 CL Final has a capacity of just over 40,000.

So clearly EUFA have learned sod-all from their mistakes in nominating an un-suitable stadium for such a prestigious event.

It would appear that Swiss organisations have no understanding of the word 'Accountability'.

Some hopes JD.   
The Moscow stadium which is scheduled for the 2008 CL Final has a capacity of just over 40,000.

So clearly EUFA have learned sod-all from their mistakes in nominating an un-suitable stadium for such a prestigious event.

It would appear that Swiss organisations have no understanding of the word 'Accountability'.

Please read this link - http://www.stadiumguide.com/luzhniki.htm

Now please explain where you get a 40,000 capacity from.

“It is the responsibility of UEFA to organise stewarding up to an appropriate standard.

That resume it all. The attitude of a few cannot be the reason for blaming the many, every clubs have a few bad apples and yes that is wrong but UEFA is responsible to make sure that everything is ready for a match of that envergure and on that point they failed miserably. I'm glad that in the end it has been clear and proud of the numerous supports the club received.

Please read this link - http://www.stadiumguide.com/luzhniki.htm

Now please explain where you get a 40,000 capacity from.

He must have meant how many of that 80,000 will go to fans

“It is the responsibility of UEFA to organise stewarding up to an appropriate standard.

That resume it all. The attitude of a few cannot be the reason for blaming the many, every clubs have a few bad apples and yes that is wrong but UEFA is responsible to make sure that everything is ready for a match of that envergure and on that point they failed miserably. I'm glad that in the end it has been clear and proud of the numerous supports the club received.

Well said mate, it is their responsibility to make sure everythings sweet and they should have spotted a mile off that the policing in Greece would be a shambles!

It is good that someones came out and clarified that it wasn't just rowdy scousers kicking it all off, but basically it shouldn't have came to that in the first place!