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In addition to the Paris police, the European football association UEFA is also responsible for the spectator chaos surrounding the Champions League final in May. This is the result of an independent investigative report led by Phil Scraton, who also led the investigation into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
Accordingly, UEFA "completely" failed in fulfilling its responsibility.
“It is difficult to comprehend the sequence of events that constituted the debacle in Paris, leaving so many people physically injured, psychologically harmed and financially compromised.
Having paid inflated prices for travel, accommodation and attendance, men, women and children were subjected to unprovoked, indiscriminate police violence including tear gas and baton assaults, together with robbery at knife-point by local gangs.
Many left before the match, those who stayed were subjected to further attacks by riot police and gangs on leaving the stadium and arriving at local stations. “Responsibility for the collapse in authority, management and safety, lies with those organising and administering the event”.
The police officers' sustained and indiscriminate attacks, as well as the indiscriminate, reckless and unprovoked use of tear gas against "men, women, and children trapped in close quarters, have been reckless and dangerous," the report said.
Human lives were endangered by a collective operational failure. In addition, there were "criminal attacks" by local gangs, who also stole from numerous fans. Only because of the calm behavior of the fans would there have been no deaths, but thousands, including children, are now traumatized.
“UEFA is sympathetic to those affected by these events,” the organization said, “and will further review these matters urgently together with the French police and authorities, and with the French Football Federation”.
When Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 on May 28, there was chaos in the Stade de France. The kick-off was delayed by more than half an hour because many fans didn't come to the stadium despite tickets. The police used tear gas, more than 230 people were injured.
An investigation by the French Senate in July came with a damning verdict. There was a chain of functional failures at all levels and omissions in preparation. The Paris police had already admitted their failure. UEFA's independent report is due to be published in November.
The European Football Association had explained the chaos by the high number of fans without valid tickets.