Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

UEFA Champions League Final 2022: Independent Review Findings

28 February 2023 · 4 other contributors · 3,174 words

Opened by Ian Byrne Lab Liverpool West Derby

Responding minister: Stuart Andrew

Culture, Media & Sport

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Ian Byrne raised concerns about uefa champions league final 2022: independent review findings in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about organisational failures by UEFA and the French authorities during the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final in Paris.
  • Ian Byrne calls on the Government to urge President Macron and Aleksander eferin to issue a full apology and implement recommendations from the independent review report.
  • The Minister welcomed UEFA's independent review and committed to working with UEFA to ensure timely implementation of recommendations for fan safety.

Key requests to Government

Ian Byrne urges the Government to apply political pressure on President Macron and Aleksander Čeferin, urging them to issue a full apology and implement all recommendations from the independent review report. He also calls on the Football Association to act in the best interests of English football supporters by pushing for these changes at UEFA.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Ian Byrne Lab Liverpool West Derby

Ian Byrne is concerned about the organisational failures of UEFA and the French authorities during the UEFA Champions League Final in Paris, which led to a dangerous situation for supporters. He highlights that the independent review report exonerates Liverpool supporters from any blame and places responsibility on UEFA and the French government for their disorganised approach to safety and security. Byrne also criticises the lack of accountability and apology from these organisations for their role in spreading lies and smears similar to those seen during the Hillsborough disaster.

Other contributors (4)
  • Alison McGovern Lab Birkenhead

    Alison McGovern expressed concern over the foreseeable nature of these events and worried that lessons might not be learned quickly enough due to a lack of attention to near misses in previous years. The MP thanked the Minister and expressed admiration for UK Government officials and diplomats who responded quickly to the difficult situation in Paris. She asked about the link between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Foreign Office regarding support for UK sports fans.

  • George Howarth

    George Howarth agreed with Jim Shannon's remarks and stressed the necessity for UEFA and French authorities to be held accountable for their failures in managing the event and addressing subsequent risks.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Jim Shannon commended the hon. Member for his love of Liverpool and highlighted that no loss of life was a matter of divine providence, emphasizing the need for UEFA to make amends for the traumatic experiences of fans.

  • Margaret Greenwood

    Margaret Greenwood supported the recommendation that UEFA should engage more proactively with disabled supporter organisations, stressing the importance of regular reporting on progress in this area.

Government Response

Stuart Andrew

The Minister acknowledged the personal impact of the events on Liverpool supporters and praised their faultless behaviour under extreme pressure. He welcomed UEFA's independent review, which highlighted serious mismanagement during the final, and committed to working with UEFA to ensure timely implementation of recommendations. The Minister noted regular engagement between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Foreign Office regarding fan safety at events like the World Cup. He also committed to further pressuring French Ministers on their response to the review findings. Looking ahead, he assured that lessons would be learned from past incidents to ensure safe hosting of future major international sporting events in the UK.

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