Liverpool Fans Sue UEFA Over 2022 Champions League Final

The English High Court has been asked to dismiss cases made by more than a thousand Liverpool fans regarding the disorderly scenes outside the Stade de France during the 2022 Champions League final in Paris by UEFA, the governing body of European football. The fans claim that the disturbance caused personal injuries, causing the game to be postponed for over half an hour.

The legal action against UEFA and its subsidiary, UEFA Events, was initiated last year following the mayhem that unfolded as fans attempted to enter the stadium. Videos captured French police deploying tear gas on the crowd, who later reported experiencing rough and aggressive treatment as they were funneled into pens outside the venue.

An independent review conducted in the aftermath of the final concluded that UEFA bore responsibility for numerous “near misses” that almost escalated into a disaster. The match, which ultimately saw Real Madrid clinch a 1-0 victory over Liverpool, was overshadowed by these troubling incidents.

Although UEFA reached a settlement with a group of Liverpool supporters in March, a separate lawsuit representing approximately 1,200 other fans is still pending before the High Court. During a preliminary hearing on Thursday, UEFA’s legal team requested the court to postpone an upcoming hearing scheduled for later this month, where UEFA intends to seek a complete dismissal of the claims.

Shaheed Fatima, UEFA’s attorney, argued in court documents that the continuation of the case would necessitate the court to assess the actions of the French state, particularly the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the police’s conduct. Fatima contended that such assessments fall outside the purview of the court in this context.

However, Judge Edward Pepperall ruled that UEFA’s application to dismiss the lawsuits should proceed as planned on June 27, setting the stage for a crucial hearing.

In the immediate aftermath of the chaos, UEFA had initially placed the blame on Liverpool supporters for the disorder. This stance was reversed following the independent review’s publication, which criticized UEFA’s handling of the situation. UEFA issued a formal apology to Liverpool fans, acknowledging the failings in managing the event.

In response to the findings, UEFA introduced a refund scheme to compensate affected fans. Nevertheless, this measure was deemed “insufficient” by Real Madrid, who chose not to participate in the scheme. UEFA has since committed to implementing a series of reforms for future finals, including increasing the number of security personnel and involving fans more actively in the planning and execution processes to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

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Key Points:

UEFA has requested England’s High Court to dismiss lawsuits filed by over 1,000 Liverpool fans related to the 2022 Champions League final chaos.
The lawsuit follows the chaos outside Stade de France, where French police used tear gas and allegedly mistreated fans.
An independent review found UEFA responsible for numerous “near misses” that nearly resulted in disaster.
UEFA settled with a group of Liverpool fans but faces a separate lawsuit representing about 1,200 others.
UEFA’s legal team argued the case requires evaluating the French state’s actions, which they claim is beyond the court’s scope.
Judge Edward Pepperall ruled that UEFA’s application to dismiss the case should proceed on June 27.
UEFA initially blamed Liverpool fans for the chaos but later apologized and set up a refund scheme, which Real Madrid found insufficient.
UEFA has pledged to increase security and involve fans in planning for future finals to prevent similar incidents.