The Liverpool supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly has welcomed UEFA’s move to implement the recommendations made by the Independent Review Panel following the events at last season’s Champions League final in Paris.
In a statement released on Friday, the governing body confirmed that after assessing all of the recommendations published by the Independent Review Panel, they have brought in measures to enhance the existing safeguards for fans attending their club and national team competition finals.
The measures contained in the action plan cover every aspect of the planning and staging of UEFA competition finals. They concern standard operating procedures, host bidding requirements, and internal compliance mechanisms so that these events provide a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for all, ensuring spectators are well-treated, including by making stadiums more accessible to children, older people, and people with disabilities.
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UEFA has drawn both on the recommendations of the panel and the findings of an internal working group established immediately after the 2022 Champions League final. That group was established to review the poor treatment of Liverpool supporters outside last season's showdown against Real Madrid.
The match was delayed for 37 minutes as a combination of operational problems outside the venue created access issues for distressed fans, particularly those who are disabled and asthmatics, who had to contend with the tear gas and pepper spray.
There was a 'massive' bottleneck when Reds supporters were funnelled through a narrow gap. Tear gas was also fired into an area containing thousands of travelling Liverpool fans.
SOS, reacting to UEFA’s statement, believes the governing body has listened and has put a plan in place to address the 21 key findings.
"In line with their commitment, following the February 2023 publication of the Independent Inquiry, UEFA met with supporter representatives, including Spirit of Shankly and Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association on 3 May to outline their response and action plan," a statement from Spirit of Shankly read.
"The Independent Inquiry into what happened at the Champions League final in Paris in May 2022, which exonerated fans of all blame for the chaos and found UEFA responsible for the organisational and safety failures, made 21 recommendations for hosting and organising future events.
"Shortly after release of the report, representatives of SOS, LDSA, the Football Supporters Association and Football Supporters Europe met with UEFA in Liverpool, in February, to make clear our expectations of the governing body. They, alongside an apology to supporters, made a firm commitment to implement all key actions, requested of the Inquiry, within their power to improve fan safety and experience at future UEFA-led events.
"On behalf of all Liverpool fans caught up in the horrendous events of May last year, we asked UEFA for an unreserved apology and a full retraction of the lies and smears made against supporters before and in the immediate aftermath of the match. We have received that along with refunds for the majority of those who attended.
"We also asked that all recommendations of the Inquiry were accepted and implemented alongside a commitment to ensure, as far as possible, no other football fans would face the issues encountered by Liverpool supporters at Stade de France.
"At the meeting on 3 May, UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis presented a full response. It will take some time to digest, but the initial reaction from all supporter groups, FSE and FSA were also in attendance, is that UEFA have listened and have put in place a plan to address the 21 key findings.
"We will continue to monitor progress and hold them to account. As they must now realise, fans are the solution not the problem."
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