Is Fan Safety Deteriorating in European Championships?
A series of serious incidents related to fan safety have occurred in European championships, prompting concerns about the welfare of supporters.
Is fan safety deteriorating in European championships?
Football fans dream of following their teams across Europe, watching matches against the continent's best teams with friends and family.
However, not everything is sunshine, wine, and song on European trips. In recent years, several serious safety incidents have occurred, putting fan safety at risk.
The 2022 Champions League final was described as 'near-catastrophic' due to poor organization by UEFA and the French government.
Supporters of Manchester City, Manchester United, and Newcastle have strongly criticized the police and security measures in Istanbul, Lyon, and Marseille.
This season, fans were excluded from attending some away matches in the Champions League, as security trends were deemed 'too worrying'.
Fans have complained about the following issues:
- aggressive police actions;
- problems with stadium entry and exit;
- restricted access to toilets;
- body searches;
- confiscation of power banks and medications.
'Lives at risk'
'The situation is deteriorating in some countries, such as Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands,' said Ronan Evain, Executive Director of Football Supporters Europe (FSE).
'There are also repeat offenders - countries and clubs where no improvement is seen.'