UEFA Refunds Liverpool Fans for the Chaos of the 2018 Champions League Final

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UEFA, the governing body of European football, has announced its decision to refund Liverpool fans who purchased tickets for the 2018 Champions League final in Paris. The move is an acknowledgment of UEFA's primary responsibility for the chaos that took place before and during the match, as determined by an independent panel.

The special refund scheme will cost UEFA millions of euros, as it covers all 19,618 tickets allocated to Liverpool FC.

Comprehensive and Fair Refund Scheme

UEFA General Secretary, Theodore Theodoridis, stated that the refund scheme is “comprehensive and fair” and acknowledges the negative experiences of Liverpool supporters on the day of the final.

He expressed appreciation for the input from Liverpool FC's supporter organizations, the Spirit of Shankly (SoS) and the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association (LDSA), as well as the open dialogue throughout the process.

The special refund scheme will reimburse Liverpool FC the total value of the tickets, and the club will then process the refunds to its supporters. UEFA has emphasized that the scheme covers all of the Liverpool FC ticket allocation for the final.

Legal Claims Pending

However, legal claims against UEFA are still ongoing, despite the announcement of the special refund scheme. Tony Winterburn, a partner at Pogust Goodhead, who is running the legal case against UEFA, stated that the details of the scheme need to be analyzed to determine its fairness.

He emphasized that the physical and psychological injuries of the clients remain at the forefront of the process and that a simple refund does not go far enough in providing adequate compensation for the harm suffered by the Liverpool fans.

Leigh Day, a law firm representing more than 900 Liverpool fans, also expressed that the compensation required goes beyond a ticket refund. The firm's partners, Clare Campbell and Jill Paterson, stated that UEFA not only ruined the biggest event in the football season but also caused injury and trauma to the fans.

They will be pushing ahead with their legal claim to seek appropriate compensation for their clients. UEFA's decision to refund Liverpool fans is a step towards accepting responsibility for the events of the 2018 Champions League final.

However, the legal claims against the governing body are still ongoing, as the compensation sought goes beyond a simple ticket refund.