PARIS: French authorities defended police on Monday for indiscriminately firing tear gas and pepper spray at Liverpool supporters at the Champions League final, while blaming industrial levels of fraud that saw 30,000 to 40,000 people try to enter the Stade de France with fake tickets or none at all.
UEFA ordered an independent report that it said would “examine decision making, responsibility and behaviors of all entities involved in the final” and be made public.
After a meeting into Saturday’s chaos, the French ministers of the sport and the interior shifted responsibility onto the Liverpool fans while not providing details on how they were sure so many fake tickets were in circulation. People with legitimate tickets bought through Liverpool and UEFA reported struggling to access the stadium.
“There was massive fraud at an industrial level and an organization of fake tickets because of the pre-filtering by the Stade de France and the French Football Federation, 70 percent of the tickets were fake tickets coming into the Stade de France,” Interior minister Gérald Darmanin said. “Fifteen percent of fake tickets also were after the first filtering ... more than 2,600 tickets were confirmed by UEFA as non-validated tickets even though they’d gone through the first filtering.
The French sports ministry provided no evidence for its claims and it did not respond to a follow-up email after hosting a combative news conference.
“A massive presence of these fake tickets of course was the issue why there were delays,” Darmanin said. “Three times the beginning of the match was delayed.”
The final, which Liverpool lost 1-0 to Real Madrid, kicked off 37 minutes late.
Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan said it was “completely inappropriate” for the French authorities to be forming conclusions and commenting on numbers so early.
“At this stage I think it’s just not responsible to be making comments before we’ve actually gathered all the information,” Hogan said. “How can (the number of fans without tickets) be quantified at this stage, before we’ve had an independent and transparent investigation? There’s also been quotes about people with fake tickets. But, again, how do we know all the facts until we’ve had an investigation?“
Hogan said Liverpool was “reviewing legal avenues” on behalf of supporters.
“The Champions League final should be one of the finest spectacles in football and it resulted in one of the worst experiences of many supporters’ lives. So, I would say that all politicians and agencies involved in this event need to wait until a full and independent investigation is concluded before attempting to shift blame.”
Tear gas and pepper spray was targeted at Liverpool fans, impacting children — a tactic defended by Darmanin to prevent deaths.
“I’d like to thank the forces of law and order, also those who worked in the stadium because they were very calm and they were able to avoid drama and so thank you for organizing the pre-filtering but lifting it when there was too much pressure to avoid a drama,” Darmanin said. “That was a decision made by the prefecture to avoid any kind of deaths or seriously injured.”
French Sports minister Amélie Ouéda-Castéra blamed fans arriving at the stadium late for the crowd control issues, but did not say when they should have arrived at the stadium on the outskirts of Paris.
“We have seen, we have to improve in risky matches certain aspects with regard to managing the flows, first filtering, second filtering, and we have to make sure we look at electronic ticketing as closely as possible so we can avoid fraud as far as ticketing is concerned,” Ouéda-Castéra said. “That is something which is absolutely essential.”
Ouéda-Castéra did say supporters who couldn’t get into the stadium should be compensated, but ignored questions as she left the news conference where Ouéda-Castéra.
“We are extremely sorry for all the people whose experience was wasted all that evening,” Ouéda-Castéra said. “For the people who had bought tickets and were unable to attend the match. That’s why we have asked UEFA to really work on a compensation system for those people — 2,700, including British people — so that they get compensation.”
UEFA did not raise the issue of compensating fans in its statement about its own investigation.
“Evidence will be gathered from all relevant parties and the findings of the independent report will be made public once completed,” UEFA said, without giving a timeline.
French authorities will set up a working group to prevent violence in stadiums and target troublemakers after seeing a spate of incidents this season in domestic games.
France blames ticket fraud for Champions League final chaos
https://arab.news/9hs3y
France blames ticket fraud for Champions League final chaos
- French authorities will set up a working group to prevent violence in stadiums and target troublemakers after seeing a spate of incidents this season in domestic games
PFL rookie Biaggio Ali Walsh talks about ‘memorable’ Umrah experience in Makkah
- The fighter, grandson of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, says he feels great about performing Umrah and ‘it’s definitely something I want to be able to do again, with my family’
- Ali Walsh recorded a unanimous-decision victory over Emmanuel Palacio in his professional debut at the Professional Fighters League vs. Bellator: Champs event in Riyadh on Feb. 24
LONDON: Mixed martial arts fighter Biaggo Ali Walsh has revealed he recently performed Umrah at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
Following an impressive amateur career, the 25-year-old, grandson of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, made his professional debut on Feb. 24 when he recorded an impressive unanimous-decision victory over Emmanuel Palacio at the Professional Fighters League vs. Bellator: Champs event in Riyadh.
A practicing Muslim, Ali Walsh said he has recently “got more in touch with his faith” and had looked forward to performing Umrah and going on a “sacred” journey when his career brought him to Saudi Arabia.
“Yes, absolutely,” he said when asked if he had felt excited about going to Makkah to perform Umrah. “It’s one of the five pillars of my faith.
“I was feeling a ton of excitement and was nervous as well; I heard the energy is incomparable and it definitely lived up to that.”
Ali Walsh said the pilgrimage had a profound and lasting effect on him: “The entire trip itself was very memorable. What an experience.”
He added that as he strives to further strengthen his faith, he hopes to perform Umrah again, this time with his loved ones.
“I feel great; it’s definitely something I want to be able to do again, with my family,” he said.
As he looks to build on his 1-0 professional record, Ali Walsh is in training for his next, yet-to-be announced test in the PFL SmartCage.
Salt, Chakravarthy help Kolkata hammer Delhi in heatwave-hit IPL
- Chakravarthy, a mystery spinner, led Kolkata’s disciplined bowling to restrict Delhi to 153-9
- Iin-form Salt, an England wicketkeeper-batsman, led the chase with an opening stand of 79 with Sunil Narine
KOLKATA: Phil Salt’s attacking 68 and bowling figures of 3-16 by Varun Chakravarthy helped Kolkata Knight Riders hammer Delhi Capitals by seven wickets at a hot and humid Eden Gardens in the IPL on Monday.
Chakravarthy, a mystery spinner, led Kolkata’s disciplined bowling to restrict Delhi to 153-9 as players, who remained drenched in sweat, and fans braved the intense heat in the colonial-era capital.
Players from all the 10 IPL teams are keen to impress their national selectors with just one day left for countries to name their teams for the T20 World Cup in June.
The in-form Salt, an England wicketkeeper-batsman, led the chase with an opening stand of 79 with Sunil Narine and the two-time champions reached their target with 3.3 overs to spare.
“It is high-risk but it is also about putting the odds in your favor and not taking the risks you don’t want to,” Salt said of his attacking game.
“You just have to keep backing yourself and keep taking the right options.”
The mercury in the afternoon soared above 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) for the third time this month, forcing the normally bustling streets to stay empty at noon.
But the sports-mad city witnessed a near-packed house at the 66,000 capacity stadium for the evening game and their home team did not disappoint with their sixth win in nine matches to move closer to booking a play-off spot.
Most of India’s eastern states and southern peninsula have remained under government heatwave alerts since last week, with relief not expected for several more days.
Delhi elected to bat first but lost regular wickets including Prithvi Shaw for 13 and fellow opener Jake Fraser-McGurk, out for 12 off let-arm quick Mitchell Starc.
Skipper Rishabh Pant attempted to resist the slide in his unconvincing knock of 27 before he was dismissed by man of the Chakravarthy.
Chakravarthy rattled the middle and lower-order to make Delhi slip to 111-8 before number nine Kuldeep Yadav claimed an unbeaten 35.
“I think that (batting first) was a good option but as a batting unit, we did not bat well enough. 150 was definitely below par,” said Pant.
“That is part and parcel of cricket. We have a long break ahead, where we can learn from our mistakes.”
Salt, who moved into the top five batsmen this IPL season with 392 runs, put the chase on track along with fellow opener Narine as the two clobbered 23 runs off the first over from Lizaad Williams.
He reached his fourth half-century of the season in 26 balls with a six off Khaleel Ahmed but fell to spinner Axar Patel after his 33-ball knock laced with seven fours and five sixes.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer, who made 33, and Venkatesh Iyer, who hit the winning six in his 23, steered the team home in an unbeaten stand of 57.
The match was a complete contrast to the previous game at the venue when Punjab Kings chased down an IPL record of 262 on another hot day.
Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan added to basketball’s FIBA 3x3 World Tour
- 13th edition of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour — the top competition on the 3x3 pro circuit — will take place in 18 cities around the world
- 3x3 will be part of the NEOM Beach Games, a major international sports event in the heart of the city
The International Basketball Federation has announced Almaty (Kazakhstan) and NEOM (Saudi Arabia) as the latest additions to the 3x3 World Tour.
The 13th edition of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour — the top competition on the 3x3 pro circuit — will take place in 18 cities around the world.
Almaty will host the first-ever visit of the World Tour to Kazakhstan, while NEOM, in hosting the event for the first time, will build upon its established track record of holding a Super Quest in 2022 then a Challenger in 2023.
3x3 will be part of the NEOM Beach Games, a major international sports event in the heart of the city.
Updated 2024 season:
Utsunomiya Opener (April 27-28)
Marseille Masters (May 31-June 1)
Ulaanbaatar Masters (June 8-9)
Chengdu Masters (June 22-23)
Edmonton Masters (July 6-7)
Almaty Masters (July 13-14)
Lausanne Masters (Aug. 16-17)
Debrecen Masters (Aug. 31-Sept. 1)
Shanghai Masters (Sept. 21-22)
Wuxi Masters (Oct. 6-7)
Amsterdam Masters (Oct. 12-13)
Macau Masters (Oct. 19-20)
Abu Dhabi Masters (Oct. 26-27)
Manama Masters (Nov. 1-2)
NEOM Masters (Nov. 7-9)
Shenzhen Masters (Nov. 16-17)
Hong Kong Masters (Nov. 23-24)
World Tour Final (December)
The location and dates of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final will be announced at a later stage.
China to host 2025 Saudi Super Cup, attracting global football stars
- Despite strong bids from Doha and Abu Dhabi, the Chinese proposal emerged as the frontrunner
- Qualification for the upcoming Super Cup has been secured by Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr
Riyadh: In a significant move for Saudi football, China is set to host the Saudi Super Cup 2025 tournament from Aug. 14 -17, according to the sports daily Arriyadiyah, a sister publication of Arab News.
Reports suggest that the decision to award China the hosting rights came after intense competition, particularly from Emirati and Qatari contenders. Despite strong bids from Doha and Abu Dhabi, the Chinese proposal emerged as the frontrunner. Additionally, Saudi officials are keen to relocate the tournament away from the Gulf region, aiming to engage a broader global audience and promote Saudi football.
One of the driving factors behind China’s successful bid is the presence of renowned international football stars in Saudi teams, contributing to their widespread popularity. Leading figures like Cristiano Ronaldo of Al-Nassr, Neymar Jr. representing Al-Hilal, Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad, and Firmino, captain of Al-Ahli, add considerable allure to the competition.
The previous edition, held in Abu Dhabi, saw Al-Hilal clinch victory over their rivals Al-Nassr with a 2-1 scoreline.
Qualification for the upcoming Super Cup has been secured by Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, based on their performance in the Saudi Pro League, known as the Roshn Saudi League. However, the participants from the King’s Cup, as well as its runner-up, are yet to be determined.
In recent Roshn League action, the Yellow Team, Al-Nassr, secured their place in the Super Cup by defeating hosts Al-Khaleej with a solitary goal. This victory propelled them to 71 points, firmly securing their second-place standing, a position out of reach for Al-Ahli, currently in third with 52 points and six matches remaining. Even with a perfect score, Al-Ahli would fall short of overtaking Al-Nassr, who, despite potential losses in their remaining fixtures, maintain a comfortable lead.
The Blue Team, Al-Hilal, who still need seven points to conclude their league campaign, have also booked their spot in the Super Cup. The tournament’s semifinals will feature clashes between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, as well as Al-Nassr against Al-Khaleej.
Both Al-Khaleej and Al-Ittihad will vie for a spot in the final, eyeing the opportunity to secure one of the two coveted slots in the Super Cup.
In the event that both teams fail to progress and the finalists emerge from the capital’s rivalry — Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr — Super Cup regulations dictate that the available slots will be awarded to the third and fourth-placed teams in the Roshn League standings.
Should only one of the capital’s teams advance to the cup final, they will automatically claim their Super Cup berth, either as champions or runners-up, with the remaining slot going to the third-placed team in the league.
Moroccan World Cup star Amallah enjoying La Liga life with Valencia
- Before his club’s trip to Barcelona, the midfielder spoke to Arab News about playing in Spain, his country’s World Cup heroics and Arab players in Europe
VALENCIA: At international and club level, the past few years have been pretty memorable for Valencia and Morocco star Selim Amallah.
The 27-year-old joined the La Liga team on loan from Segunda Division club Real Valladolid in the summer of 2023, having been part of the Moroccan squad that reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
On Monday night the Belgian-born midfielder will be part of the Valencia team, currently eighth in La Liga and led by club legend Ruben Baraja, that will take on Barcelona at Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys.
Amallah is delighted with the way things have worked out for him.
“I’m thrilled to be playing in Spain because it’s one of the best leagues globally,” Amallah, fresh from a practice session at Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna, Valencia’s state-of-the-art training complex, told Arab News.
“It’s a league I wanted to play in and I've succeeded,” he said. “I anticipated more playing time initially,” he added. “I recognize the invaluable learning experience this season has offered. Frankly, I’m very happy to be here.”
While historically many players from North Africa have thrived in La Liga and other European leagues, very few from the Middle East or Gulf states have even attempted to make that leap.
Amallah feels more Arab players should make that move, not just to experience new sporting challenges and cultures, but primarily to succeed as professionals on the pitch.
“Yes, of course, I believe making history in a championship or for your country is something you aspire to achieve, and it’s one of my goals,” he said.
Without question the highlight of Ramallah’s career to date was Morocco’s incredible march to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Along the way, the Atlas Lions defeated Spain and Portugal, before losing out to France, who were defending world champions.
“It was truly incredible,” said Amallah. “These are memories that I believe will last forever. None of us expected to reach such a remarkable level. We also demonstrated that Moroccan players and our clubs can compete at the highest levels of football. We take immense pride in representing our country.”
Part of the experience in Qatar was the overwhelming support that teams from Arab countries received, with members of various communities uniting to support the regional teams.
“It was an immense source of pride, as our support extended beyond just the Moroccan people to encompass all Muslim communities,” said Amallah. “We took great pride in demonstrating the significant presence of Muslims in football, proving our ability to not only inspire pride among Moroccans but also among the entire Arab and African world through our dedication on the field.”
After the euphoria of Qatar 2022, there was more good news for Morocco when the country was named co-host of the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
But before the football world showpiece, Amallah said that he and his colleagues will be eyeing more success on the pitch.
“I believe there’s still more for us to prove and demonstrate that Morocco remains a force to be reckoned with,” he said. “We have an exceptional team with talented players, and while the expectations may have risen, we’re determined to rise to the occasion and give our all to represent our country.”
