Sports
UEFA To Refund Liverpool Fans After UCL Final Chaos In Paris
Liverpool fans who purchased tickets to the 2022 Champions League final in Paris will receive a refund from UEFA.
UEFA made the decision after a recent independent investigation concluded that UEFA is “primarily liable” for the disorderly atmosphere leading up to the Champions League final against Real Madrid in May 2022.
Naija News recalls that the kickoff of the Champions League final was delayed by 36 minutes as a result of spectators being cornered and tear gassed outside of Paris’ Stade de France.
UEFA said the refund scheme “covers all of the Liverpool FC ticket allocations for the final, i.e. 19,618 tickets”.
“We have taken into account a huge number of views expressed both publicly and privately and we believe we have devised a scheme that is comprehensive and fair,” said UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis.
“We value the input from the Liverpool FC supporter organizations Spirit of Shankly and Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association as well as the open and transparent dialogue throughout this period.
“We recognize the negative experiences of those supporters on the day and with this scheme, we will refund fans who had bought tickets and who were the most affected by the difficulties in accessing the stadium.”
The club will be in charge of arranging refunds for spectators who purchased tickets directly from Liverpool rather than through UEFA.
The commotion outside the stadium was first attributed to ticketless fans by French and UEFA officials.
According to the investigation that UEFA requested after the final on May 28, there is no evidence to support the “reprehensible” allegations.
The absence of fatalities was described as amazing, and the group efforts of Liverpool fans were said to have been “probably significant” in averting “more severe injuries and deaths” outside the stadium.