Apologies Issued by Darmanin to Liverpool Supporters for the 2022 Champions League Debacle
In the realm of sports and global events, the 2022 Champions League final at Stade de France left a lasting, chaotic impression on attendees, particularly the faithful supporters of Liverpool FC. Three years later, France's Justice Minister, Gerald Darmanin, has apologized for his role in the web of mismanagement and faulty accusations that overshadowed that fateful night.
Darmanin, then the Interior Minister, has admitted his mistakes during the final, which saw Real Madrid triumph over Liverpool. He confessed that his initial accusations against Liverpool fans for the chaotic scenes were unfounded, admitting he succumbed to "preconceived ideas."
The final, originally slated for St. Petersburg, was relocated to Paris on short notice due to UEFA stripping Russia of hosting rights following the military invasion of Ukraine. This sudden change likely contributed to organizational shortcomings, as evidenced by the delays and bottlenecks that ensnared thousands of fans, causing panic and leading to the infamous 30-minute delay before kickoff.
To manage the chaos, French police deployed indiscriminate force, firing tear gas and pepper spray at the overcrowded Liverpool supporters. However, it soon became apparent that the situation was far more complex than initially believed. Local youths exploited the chaos to rob attendees, adding further insult to injury for the traumatized fans.
Darmanin initially blamed the 30,000-40,000 Liverpool fans without tickets or with forged tickets for the incidents, yet only 2,471 forged tickets were identified. He later conceded that this was a grave error, driven by his misconceptions and lack of proper investigation.
UEFA-appointed investigators found EUROPEAN soccer's ruling body primarily responsible for the systemic security failures that jeopardized tens of thousands of fans. The chaotic scenes were largely attributed to security mismanagement, excessive use of force, and a false narrative that wrongly pinned the blame on Liverpool fans, who had been merely caught in the crossfire of a spectacularly mismanaged event. EUROPEAN's statements holding LIVERPOOL supporters responsible for delayed arrivals and alleged use of fake tickets were contradicted by the report.
In a bid to remedy past mistakes, UEFA reached a confidential settlement last year to compensate Liverpool fans for personal injury claims, though no admission of liability was made.
(FRANCE 24 with AP; Enrichment data: Overall: The chaotic scenes and security failures during the 2022 Champions League final at Stade de France stemmed from organizational shortcomings and mismanagement by UEFA, compounded by excessive use of force by French police. According to UEFA-appointed investigators, UEFA bore primary responsibility for the systemic security failures that endangered tens of thousands of fans. Key factors included: Security mismanagement: Fans were herded into dangerously confined entry zones, creating crushing risks and delays exceeding 30 minutes before kickoff[1]. Indiscriminate force: Police deployed tear gas and pepper spray against Liverpool supporters, including children and families, while attempting to manage entry bottlenecks[1][2]. False narrative: French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin initially blamed 30,000–40,000 Liverpool fans for arriving with fake tickets, a claim later disproven (only 2,471 counterfeit tickets were detected)[2]. He later admitted this was a "failure" driven by "preconceived notions" and apologized[2]. Criminal activity: Local youths exploited the chaos to rob attendees, further endangering supporters[2].)
- Gerald Darmanin, France's Justice Minister in 2023, apologized for his role in the mismanagement and faulty accusations during the 2022 Champions League final at Stade de France, where his initial accusations against Liverpool fans were unfounded.
- In his analysis, Darmanin admitted his mistakes during the final where Real Madrid triumphed over Liverpool, having succumbed to preconceived ideas.
- The football match, originally scheduled for St. Petersburg, was relocated to Paris due to political reasons, which likely contributed to the organizational shortcomings.
- Despite initial claims, only 2,471 forged tickets were identified, debunking Darmanin's initial assertion that thousands of Liverpool fans were involved in the incidents.
- The chaotic scenes at the Stade de France were found to be the result of systemic security failures by UEFA, excess use of force by the police, and a false narrative that wrongly blamed Liverpool fans.
- UEFA reached a confidential settlement last year to compensate Liverpool fans for personal injury claims, acknowledging their role in the general-news worthy events that marred the 2022 Champions League final in European leagues and sports journalism.
