Uefa have been accused of submitting “completely untrue” evidence to their own inquiry – the Independent Panel inquiry, detailing how and why a near disaster happened at the Champions League final in May 2022.

On 7 June last year, just over a week after events in Paris, Spirit of Shankly began calling for an independent investigation into what happened to ensure such a fiasco could not happen again and to rubbish the Uefa-backed claims that supporters had been to blame.

The French Senate also condemned the events, concluding that on the day ‘everyone was in their own camp with no real coordination’. Its statement did little to quell the rumours and allegations of cronyism within football’s governing body under Aleksander Ceferin’s leadership.

Published in February, the Inquiry concluded Uefa must take ‘prime responsibility’ for the debacle because it failed in its duty to manage safety plans and procedures. But, crucially, it stated this was not the fault of the safety and security unit headed by Zeljko Pavlica, but the events division, led by Sharon Burkhalter-Lau, who had ‘marginalised’ the unit.

Now Burkhalter-Lau has alleged Uefa presented ‘untrue’ evidence in order to protect Pavlica, who is the decades-long best friend of Uefa president Ceferin. To hear of these alleged cover-ups and lies during the Inquiry is contemptible.

That Pavlica – as head of security – has remained in his post since Paris is staggering, but in light of these latest revelations underpinned by his lack of individual responsibility and accountability he surely has to go. If he doesn’t then Ceferin’s position is also untenable.

Back to Latest News >>