June 22
A senior UEFA representative said on Tuesday he did not believe French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin’s claims about the number of fake tickets in circulation during the chaotic scenes before last month’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Following the game on 28 May, Darmanin claimed that between 30,000 and 40,000 fake tickets in the hands of Liverpool fans was the cause of problems as police funnelled thousands of fans into overcrowded underpasses around the stadium, leading to the kick-off being delayed by more than 30 minutes.
Martin Kallen, general director of UEFA Events, who are in charge of the body’s commercial events, told a hearing at the French Senate, which is investigating the incidents, the figure was much lower.
“We know there were around 2,600 tickets taken to the turnstiles which were fake,” Kellen said.
“But a lot of tickets didn’t get to the turnstiles... How many? We don’t know, we can’t really verify.
“We don’t believe it’s the number mentioned in France, which was more or less 30,000 to 40,000,” he added.
Keller said other factors caused the problems at the Stade de France, in mayhem that saw the French police use tear gas at close range, even against children.— AFP
