UEFA will reimburse Liverpool fans who had tickets to the 2022 Champions League final in Paris.
This follows a recent independent report which concluded that UEFA was “primarily responsible” for the chaotic scenes leading up to the Real Madrid game.
fans were cordoned off and tear gas sprayed outside the Stade de France in Paris when kick-off was delayed by 36 minutes.
UEFA said the refund system “covers all tickets Liverpool FC have allocated for the final, ie.19,618 tickets.
We have taken into account the wide range of public and private opinions and believe that we have put together a comprehensive and fair programme,” said UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis.
We appreciate the contribution of the Liverpool FC Spirit of Shankly supporters organization and the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association and the open and transparent dialogue during this time.
We are aware of the negative experiences of these fans throughout the day and through this program we will refund fans who bought tickets and were most affected by the difficulties in accessing the stadium.
Liverpool have also been involved in the process of obtaining refunds for their fans and as the fans bought tickets directly from them and not UEFA the club will manage this process.
UEFA and the French authorities initially blamed ticketless fans for events outside the stadium.
A report commissioned by UEFA after the 28 May final said there was “no evidence” to support the “reprehensible” claims.
He added it was “remarkable that no lives were lost” and that the collective action of Liverpool fans “probably helped” prevent “more serious injuries and deaths” outside the stadium.
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The report contains 21 recommendations to ensure that “everything has been done” to prevent a similar incident from happening again during a major sporting event.
The Spirit of Shankly and the Liverpool Disabled Supporters’ Association said they “welcome” UEFA’s “unprecedented” refund.
By promising to pay fans money, UEFA has in a sense confirmed its involvement in the fiasco,” read the statement.
But this does not justify UEFA, absolve it from criticism or reduce the need to implement any recommendations of an independent investigation.
We will work with Liverpool and release details as soon as we know how and when returns will be handled.” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, whose side lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in the final, said it was “extremely important” to clear the club’s fans of the pre-game incident.
