Olympics host Paris under scrutiny after Champions League 'fiasco'

PARIS, France - French authorities faced questions Sunday over police tactics at the Paris Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid that descended into scenes of chaos before kick-off, with critics asking if the capital was ready to host the Olympics in two years' time.

Liverpool called for an investigation into the treatment of their supporters ahead of the game at Paris' Stade de France on Saturday which the club said left thousands of ticket holders struggling to enter the stadium.

But European football's governing body UEFA blamed a problem with fake tickets, while the French government criticized the behavior of the English fans. 

The chaos outside France's national stadium prompted the kick-off to be delayed by over half an hour before the match was eventually won 1-0 by the Spanish side.

The scenes -- which saw some fans manage to vault into the stadium while evading security and police use tear gas -- were not what the French capital wanted two years before it hosts the 2024 Olympics and one year before the same venue hosts the rugby World Cup final.

The French interior ministry said 105 people had been detained, of whom 39 were placed under arrest and remanded in custody meaning they could face charges.

UEFA blamed "fake tickets which did not work in the turnstiles" for the 35-minute delay to the final.

But Liverpool said they were "hugely disappointed" that their supporters had been subjected to an "unacceptable" breakdown of the security perimeter.

"We have officially requested a formal investigation into the causes of these unacceptable issues," the club said.

Merseyside Police, which had officers deployed in Paris, said "the vast majority of fans behaved in an exemplary manner".

The UK government's Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told Sky News that the English fans were "treated with a very aggressive approach."

But French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin pointed the finger at Liverpool fans, saying "thousands of British 'supporters' either without tickets or with fake ones forced their way through and sometimes behaved violently towards the stewards".

French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said that "attempts at intrusion and fraud by thousands of English supporters complicated the work of the stadium staff and the police."

Yet political foes of the government and President Emmanuel Macron said that the scenes pointed to wider problems in France and shamed the country.

"The image this gives is lamentable and it is also worrying because we see that we are not prepared for events like the Olympic Games," far-left French politician Jean-Luc Melenchon told BFM-TV.

He denounced "a complete failure of the police strategy... the people were treated as they usually are during any kind of demonstration. We can't continue like this."

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen told RTL that the world had seen on Saturday that "France is no longer able to organize major events without things degenerating."

French newspaper Le Monde commented: "The party that was supposed to precede the final... was spoilt and turned into real chaos."

"From party to fiasco," said France's leading sports daily L'Equipe.

Merseyside's leading regional newspaper the Liverpool Echo argued that poor organization and not the Liverpool fans were to blame.

"UEFA's shameless attempts to control (the) Liverpool narrative show they'll never learn after Champions League disgrace," it said.

Aurore Berge, a deputy for Macron's ruling party, said Paris had "barely three months" to get ready for the final which it was awarded after Saint Petersburg was stripped of the event due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Police fired tear gas after several dozen people attempted to climb over barriers, according to an AFP reporter on the scene, with security staff having to round up about 20 fans who succeeded in clearing the fence and getting into the ground.

Thousands of mainly Liverpool supporters were still massed outside the stadium with half an hour to go to kick-off.

UEFA said they were "sympathetic" to the fans affected and would review the situation together with local police and authorities,.

For Ronan Evain, executive director of the Football Supporters Europe network, the events "raises the question of France's ability to organize events of this size". 

"We continue to see the same organizational strategy that have already failed in the past. There is a very strong need to modernize the approach to securing these events," he told AFP.

In contrast to the scenes outside the stadium, Paris police noted that proceedings at two vast fans zones hosting thousands of supporters from both sides had taken place in a good atmosphere and without major incident.

Some 40,000 Liverpool supporters without a match ticket had packed into their zone in eastern Paris to enjoy the atmosphere. Despite the disappointment of defeat they left the area without any issue.

The Paris fire brigade -- which looks after all kinds of emergency situations -- said the night had largely been calm although it had treated some supporters for the effects of tear gas as well as excess alcohol consumption.

Agence France-Presse

Lionel Messi named UEFA Best Player in Europe

Lionel Messi was Thursday voted UEFA’s best player in Europe for 2014-2015 with Germany’s Celia Sasic winning the women’s award.

The Argentina star, who won the Champions League, Spain’s La Liga and Spanish Cup with Barcelona, claimed the award for the second time ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez.

“I am happy to win the award. I thank all my teammates because they deserve part of it. I depend a lot on the team like everyone else,” the 28-year-old said.

Messi also won in 2010-2011 and succeeds Real Madrid rival Ronaldo who won last year.

FFC Frankfurt’s Sasic, 27, was voted the best women’s player ahead of France’s Amandine Henry and fellow German Dzsenifer Marozsan.

Sasic, who retired last month, was the top scorer in the Champions League which Frankfurt won, the Bundesliga and at the Women’s World Cup in Canada where she won the Golden Boot award.

source: interaksyon.com

FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigns amid corruption scandal

FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigned Tuesday in a stunning capitulation to critics as a US criminal investigation reportedly drew closer to ensnaring the most powerful man in world sport.

The Swiss official, who has ruled football’s governing body for 17 years, said he would remain in charge until a special congress can choose a new leader and vowed to pursue strong reforms in that time.

Blatter noted that he had just won re-election from FIFA members on Friday, but said: “I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football.”

Some of Blatter’s opponents rejoiced at his announcement while commercial sponsors urged FIFA to clean up its act and regain public trust.

“Why didn’t he step down last week? Clearly there’s a smoking gun of some sort,” English FA chief Greg Dyke said.

“He’s not been honourable in years. Now he’s gone — let’s celebrate.”

UEFA chief Michel Platini, a former ally who last week told Blatter to his face that he should leave, said: “It was a difficult decision, a brave decision, and the right decision.”

The New York Times, which broke last week’s news of the corruption investigation, reported the 79-year-old was also the focus of an FBI probe, citing law enforcement officials and other sources.

The arrest of seven FIFA officials in a luxury Swiss hotel unleashed a global storm which Blatter tried to weather by defiantly ploughing on when he secured a fifth term with backing from Asia and Africa.

But speaking impassively at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Blatter said it was clear not everyone was on his side in the footballing fraternity including “the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA”.

‘Profound overhaul’

“I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation,” Blatter told a news conference.

“That election is over but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul.”

He added that in his remaining months in office, he would “focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our previous efforts”.

Blatter, stolid throughout the 10-minute appearance, then shook the hand of a member of his staff and walked back to his office without taking any questions.

The seven people detained last Wednesday are among 14 football officials and sports marketing executives accused by US prosecutors of complicity in giving or receiving more than $150 million in bribes.

The dawn arrests, and a police raid on FIFA headquarters, were accompanied by the launch of a Swiss investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar.

Qatar has strongly denied any wrongdoing in its bid for 2022 but one senior Qatari official, a FIFA vice president, was banned for life amid accusations that he gave bribes.

“If I was in Qatar I wouldn’t be very confident,” said Dyke, who was involved in England’s unsuccessful bid to stage the 2018 edition.

Blatter had repeatedly pleaded his innocence and that of FIFA. But according to the New York Times and ABC News, the FBI probe is looking directly at his alleged involvement in corruption.

A special congress to choose his replacement cannot be held until between December 2015 and March 2016, according to Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA’s independent audit and compliance committee.

Romario, the Brazilian football great turned politician, called Blatter’s announcement the “best news for ages!”

“Joseph Blatter stepping down as FIFA president represents the beginning of a new era for world football,” he said.

Australia’s football federation, which lost out to Qatar for 2022, called for the culture of the entire organization to change.

Acting CONCACAF president Alfredo Hawit — who last week replaced former chief Jeffrey Webb, one of those charged in the United States and arrested in Switzerland — said his organization was ready to help rebuild FIFA.

That was echoed by the AFC in Asia, whose numerous members comprise the third-biggest voting bloc for the FIFA leadership, behind Africa and Europe.

Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, a member of the FIFA executive and both a key figure in the 2018 World Cup and supporter of Blatter’s, said the resignation came as a “complete shock” but was intended to preserve FIFA’s unity.

Potential replacements

Prince Ali bin al Hussein, who challenged Blatter in last Friday’s vote, signalled that he would be a candidate in a new election.

The Jordanian prince withdrew from the race after the first round of voting.

Other potential replacements mooted include Platini and Portuguese football great Luis Figo.

Among key sponsors, Coca-Cola called the move “a positive step for the good of sport, football and its fans”.

Credit card giant Visa, which warned last week it might withdraw its sponsorship, said Blatter’s resignation was “a significant first step towards rebuilding public trust” but added: “More work lies ahead.”

Blatter took over an international federation facing financial difficulties and turned it into a money-spinning operation that, between the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, made $5.7 billion (5.3 billion euros). FIFA now has a cash mountain of $1.5 billion.

But scandal has never been far from his office. There were allegations over the vote that elected him in 1998, and over the collapse of the ISL sports marketing giant in 2001.

source: interaksyon.com