Euro 2020: FA’s assessment of Wembley’s final disruption finds a series of “near misses” that could have been fatal | Football news

The fan disturbance that ruined the Euro 2020 final in Wembley was a “near miss” and a “source of national shame” in the deaths, an independent review commissioned by the Football Association found.

A review by Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock showed that about 2,000 ticketless fans got into the stadium, about 400 of whom fell, with an exhibit between England and Italy on 11 July.

It noted that access to the stadium took place through 17 “mass burglaries” through disabled gates and emergency fire doors, “endangering the lives of legal supporters and staff.”

Baroness Casey noted the “collective failure” of the organizations in preparing for the value of the match.

“We’re really lucky there wasn’t a much more serious injury or worse, and we have to take the toughest action against people who think a football match is somehow an excuse to behave that way,” Baroness Casey said.

“It’s clear that the primary responsibility for what went wrong with Wembley that day lies with those who lost control of their own behavior that day, no one who did their best but lost control of the public.”

Alcohol and drugs were a key factor in the disruption as fans arrived at the stadium up to eight hours before 8pm.

In one “horrific event,” a ticketless fan tried to pretend to be a housekeeper and abduct a disabled child and separated him from his father to trick his way through the passage.

Baroness Casey’s report identified a continuing need to manage the Covid-19 pandemic and the euphoria associated with the men’s national team’s first final after 1966, creating a “complete storm”.

The loss of experienced shop stewards caused by the pandemic made Wembley’s cleanup operation “vulnerable,” while police and other agencies were denied a key crowd control tool without fan areas.

The review found that the Metropolitan Police has repeatedly asked the government to establish such a zone.

The victory in the English penalty shootout could have led to great public safety, with an estimate that up to 6,000 ticketless fans were waiting to attack the stadium at the same time the doors were opened to allow other fans to leave.

A London emergency official said the consequences of England’s victory would have been “dire” and that a major incident would have been declared in Wembley and central London.

Baroness Casey said the news that 90,000 seats in some 25,000 national stadiums would be vacant due to Covid-19 restrictions affected the events.

The report also addressed how questionable the organization of the Wembley semi-finals and finals was questioned due to UEFA’s higher turnout, when Budapest was actively considering at the time because Hungary did not have Covid-19 rules.

FA “fully accept” the results of the review

Football Association director Mark Bullingham said the organization apologized for the “terrible experience” many suffered at Wembley.

“We fully accept its findings, and it is important to learn from us as well as other relevant agencies,” he added.

“The lessons learned from this review will ensure that fans have a good experience of the major international events at Wembley, as they have for many years.”

Bullingham was asked about the difficulty of getting a “steel ring” around Wembley, which often repeats what is seen in other stadiums around the world, and said: “We believe it is possible to put in place a different external safety net and further measures.

“We don’t think it would have prevented the event from happening that day. We think it’s much more related to fan behavior and it’s a crucial issue.”

The FA called for a campaign to launch a “maritime change” in supporters ’attitudes

Baroness Casey made five recommendations for national consideration.

The first called on the government to consider a new category for nationally significant matches, enhanced security measures and stricter policies on the sale and consumption of alcohol.

It called for a review of the housekeeper’s activities and who is responsible in the “Zone Ex” area immediately around the stadium, tougher penalties for those found guilty of football-related disruptions, and the FA’s campaign to bring about “maritime change.” attitudes of supporters.

England players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were beaten on social media after the game.

Baroness Casey wrote: “Finally, the biggest challenge I posed was related to the culture that made some people on Wembley on and after social media decide to behave this way.

“What makes people believe that it is somehow acceptable to break into a stadium or abuse a disabled entrance just because it is a big match or there are spare seats inside?

“Why on earth should black footballers expect to continue playing for their country in the midst of racist assault by their own countrymen?”

Among the recommendations to the FA, Wembley and key partners, a joint approach between Wembley and the Metropolitan Police Service to manage public safety on match days is proposed.

Bullingham added: “Together, we must never let this happen again. Baroness Casey is clear that when moving forward when it comes to a nationally significant event, we and all agencies need to look at it through different lenses.”

UEFA has already sanctioned the FA for disorder and will have to play its next home match behind closed doors in UEFA and the second match will be suspended and they will also be fined € 100,000 (£ 84,560).

UK Sport has denies that the disruption has irreversibly damaged England’s ability to host the 2030 World Cup.