Summit meetings between the parties involved in the organization of the Champions League final in Paris will take place on Monday morning at the French Ministry of Sport. Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra receives representatives from the European Football Association UEFA, the French Football Association FFF, the Stade de France, the Paris Police and the city of Saint-Denis. “To analyze the incidents at the Champions League final and to learn lessons for our major sporting events in the future,” says Oudéa-Castéra about the purpose of the meeting.
Things got out of hand outside the stadium before the final between Real Madrid and Liverpool. Thousands of English supporters were prevented from entering the Stade de France, according to French authorities because they had fake tickets. As a result, long queues arose around the stadium. Many people climbed the fences and managed to penetrate the national stadium of France in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. In an effort to bring the situation under control, police used tear gas and pepper spray.
Due to all the unrest around the stadium, the final started more than half an hour later than planned. The French authorities and also Minister Oudéa-Castéra blamed British supporters for the chaos, but there was also a lot of criticism of the organization. Liverpool and the British government have requested an independent investigation. Former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who recently lost out to Emmanuel Macron in the election, called on Sunday for a parliamentary inquiry to find out how things could go so wrong.
Paris will host the Olympic Games in two years. Many French politicians expressed their concerns about that event on Sunday after the chaos at the Champions League final.
