UEFA are to blame and bears “primary responsibility” for the chaotic scenes that “almost led to disaster” before last year’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, says an independent report.
Fans were teargassed outside Paris’s Stade de France as kick-off was delayed by 36 minutes.
Uefa and French authorities had initially blamed ticketless fans for the events.
The report says there is “no evidence” to support the “reprehensible” claims.
“The panel has concluded that Uefa, as event owner, bears primary responsibility for failures which almost led to disaster,” the report added.
“All the stakeholders interviewed by the panel have agreed that this situation was a near-miss: a term used when an event almost turns into a mass fatality catastrophe.”
While it said there was “contributory fault” from other bodies, particularly the French police and the French Football Federation, the findings said European governing body, UEFA was “at the wheel”.
European football governing body commissioned the independent report three days after the match, which is the showpiece of European club football, and which Liverpool went on to lose 1-0 in the French capital.
The accusations made by UEFA and French authorities about alleged ticketless Liverpool fans in Paris were criticised by the Rodrigues-led report.
Following the publication of the review into the Paris scenes, UEFA has “most sincerely” apologised for the events which unfolded.
UEFA said it would also announce a “special refund scheme” for fans that were affected.
RN