Champions League: Chain of failures marred Paris final, French inquiry says

Image source, Getty Images

According to a French government report, there were a lot of failures in the final of the European soccer competition.

Huge numbers of people without tickets or fake tickets, lack of preparation for travelling fans, and security failures at the stadium were included.

The government says it will implement the recommendations of the report.

Local youths attacked tear-gassing fans before and after the match on 28 May.

The match was played at the stadium in France.

The French response to the chaos has caused uproar in France and other countries.

Image source, Reuters

While trying to get into the stadium, the fans fear for their safety because they arrived hours earlier. Local gangs from the Saint-Denis area descended on crowds after the match and stole phones and watches.

The French police were accused of being too quick to threaten fans with batons.

Gérald Darmanin has come under fire for blaming the trouble outside the stadium on ticket fraud which caused fans to turn up en mass.

The author of the report said that Mr Darmanin's claim that as many as 40,000 fans were to blame for the chaos should be taken seriously.

The first official conclusion of a government inquiry was highlighted by Mr Cadot.

• Travel to the venue: Mistakes with signposting safe routes for the fans, aggravated by a strike on the underground train line
• Sheer numbers: "Uncontrolled influx of additional members of the public without tickets or with fake ones, in unprecedented proportions".
• Stadium security: A "rupture" in checks and security measures around the stadium, adding that "the organisers and policemen were overwhelmed by the situation".

The violence and how it had been dealt with had raised questions from outside observers about our country's ability to deliver and succeed in the major sporting events for which we will soon be responsible, according to the report.

The Rugby World Cup and the Olympics are going to be hosted by Paris.

A national committee to pilot major international sporting events is one of the recommendations made in the report.

The prime minister asked the interior and sports ministers to put the recommendations in place without delay.