Liverpool fans 'worst in Europe' claim UEFA
Liverpool's Steven Gerrard in sombre mood after two goals from Filippo Inzaghi helped AC Milan to their seventh Champions League title in Athens last month
UEFA intensified their argument with Liverpool over the ticket chaos at the Champions League final by leaking details yesterday of a report that brandishes the club's supporters as the worst behaved in Europe.
Michel Platini, the president of European football's governing body, will present the findings of a four-year investigation to Sports Minister Richard Caborn tomorrow and demand Liverpool are ordered to improve security checks on those who follow the club abroad.
The report, based on evidence collected by undercover police officers, details 25 disturbances involving Liverpool supporters at European away games since 2003.
However, the catalyst for the meeting between Platini and Caborn in Brussels is the Champions League final in Athens and the violence that occurred outside the Olympic Stadium on May 23.
UEFA and Liverpool have been at loggerheads over the circumstances that led to approximately 2,000 fans with tickets for the game being locked out of the stadium and tear-gassed by Greek police when they attempted to gain entry.
The Anfield club claim inadequate security, a meagre ticket allocation and the choice of an athletics venue were the principle causes of the disturbances, and had highlighted those precise concerns in a report submitted to UEFA five days before the final.
UEFA's counter-argument is that thousands of ticketless fans who rushed the gates, gained access with forged tickets or stole from genuine ticket-holders were to blame for filling the Olympic Stadium beyond capacity and leaving the Greek authorities no option but to shut the gates early.
The current stand-off could have repercussions for both sides - ticket-holder Paul Gregory has threatened to sue Platini having missed the game and been caught in a crush against the police cordon outside the stadium, while UEFA are considering a heavy punishment for the Anfield club - but the governing body has demonstrated its intent to lay the blame solely on Liverpool by releasing details of a wide-ranging investigation into the club's support.
Trouble
UEFA spokesman William Gaillard revealed: "The incidents involving Liverpool fans have been well known to us before the trouble at the Champions League final which involved Liverpool fans. That was just the latest example.
"What other set of fans steal tickets from their fellow supporters or out of the hands of children? We know what happened in Athens, and Liverpool fans were the cause of most of the trouble there.
"We have an independent police report mentioning 25 incidents since 2003 caused by Liverpool fans away from home. That's the most of any team in Europe and these are in the report. We should all be very pleased that no one was hurt."
Perversely, Gaillard cited the good behaviour of Liverpool supporters before the European Cup final with Milan as a reason to dismiss concerns an allocation of 17,000 tickets to each finalist would invite trouble and allow the black market to flourish.
Liverpool responded to the leaked allegations last night by insisting it was an attempt by UEFA to distance itself from responsibility for the poor organisation of its showpiece event.
A club spokesman said: "The shortcomings in the management of the situation in Athens were apparent to anyone who was there and this latest statement from UEFA should not deflect attention away from that reality."
Anfield chief executive Rick Parry appealed to UEFA for a greater ticket allocation in the weeks preceding the final but was informed 29,000 tickets for the 63,000-capacity stadium were designated for its 'football family' - the catch-all phrase for sponsors, corporate guests and those who received tickets through a public ballot.
Liverpool, however, were criticised by supporters for exacerbating the problem by distributing 6,000 tickets among their own corporate clients and changing the policy of giving season-ticket holders preference for European final tickets.
Much of the Liverpool fans' anger has been directed towards UEFA and the Greek authorities, but many have also blamed the ticketless fans who forced their way inside the ground at the expense of those with tickets.
Liverpool fan Phil Hammond, whose son Philip was among the 96 Reds supporters who died at Hillsborough in 1989, said: "The people who stormed into the stadium are the scum of the earth. They put at risk hundreds of lives and they should be ashamed of themselves.
- Andy Hunter
Source : www.independant.ie
Liverpool's Steven Gerrard in sombre mood after two goals from Filippo Inzaghi helped AC Milan to their seventh Champions League title in Athens last month
UEFA intensified their argument with Liverpool over the ticket chaos at the Champions League final by leaking details yesterday of a report that brandishes the club's supporters as the worst behaved in Europe.
Michel Platini, the president of European football's governing body, will present the findings of a four-year investigation to Sports Minister Richard Caborn tomorrow and demand Liverpool are ordered to improve security checks on those who follow the club abroad.
The report, based on evidence collected by undercover police officers, details 25 disturbances involving Liverpool supporters at European away games since 2003.
However, the catalyst for the meeting between Platini and Caborn in Brussels is the Champions League final in Athens and the violence that occurred outside the Olympic Stadium on May 23.
UEFA and Liverpool have been at loggerheads over the circumstances that led to approximately 2,000 fans with tickets for the game being locked out of the stadium and tear-gassed by Greek police when they attempted to gain entry.
The Anfield club claim inadequate security, a meagre ticket allocation and the choice of an athletics venue were the principle causes of the disturbances, and had highlighted those precise concerns in a report submitted to UEFA five days before the final.
UEFA's counter-argument is that thousands of ticketless fans who rushed the gates, gained access with forged tickets or stole from genuine ticket-holders were to blame for filling the Olympic Stadium beyond capacity and leaving the Greek authorities no option but to shut the gates early.
The current stand-off could have repercussions for both sides - ticket-holder Paul Gregory has threatened to sue Platini having missed the game and been caught in a crush against the police cordon outside the stadium, while UEFA are considering a heavy punishment for the Anfield club - but the governing body has demonstrated its intent to lay the blame solely on Liverpool by releasing details of a wide-ranging investigation into the club's support.
Trouble
UEFA spokesman William Gaillard revealed: "The incidents involving Liverpool fans have been well known to us before the trouble at the Champions League final which involved Liverpool fans. That was just the latest example.
"What other set of fans steal tickets from their fellow supporters or out of the hands of children? We know what happened in Athens, and Liverpool fans were the cause of most of the trouble there.
"We have an independent police report mentioning 25 incidents since 2003 caused by Liverpool fans away from home. That's the most of any team in Europe and these are in the report. We should all be very pleased that no one was hurt."
Perversely, Gaillard cited the good behaviour of Liverpool supporters before the European Cup final with Milan as a reason to dismiss concerns an allocation of 17,000 tickets to each finalist would invite trouble and allow the black market to flourish.
Liverpool responded to the leaked allegations last night by insisting it was an attempt by UEFA to distance itself from responsibility for the poor organisation of its showpiece event.
A club spokesman said: "The shortcomings in the management of the situation in Athens were apparent to anyone who was there and this latest statement from UEFA should not deflect attention away from that reality."
Anfield chief executive Rick Parry appealed to UEFA for a greater ticket allocation in the weeks preceding the final but was informed 29,000 tickets for the 63,000-capacity stadium were designated for its 'football family' - the catch-all phrase for sponsors, corporate guests and those who received tickets through a public ballot.
Liverpool, however, were criticised by supporters for exacerbating the problem by distributing 6,000 tickets among their own corporate clients and changing the policy of giving season-ticket holders preference for European final tickets.
Much of the Liverpool fans' anger has been directed towards UEFA and the Greek authorities, but many have also blamed the ticketless fans who forced their way inside the ground at the expense of those with tickets.
Liverpool fan Phil Hammond, whose son Philip was among the 96 Reds supporters who died at Hillsborough in 1989, said: "The people who stormed into the stadium are the scum of the earth. They put at risk hundreds of lives and they should be ashamed of themselves.
- Andy Hunter
Source : www.independant.ie
