The fans are back on their feet in Uefa tournaments: this will be the test

Uefa authorized this Wednesday for a season that there are places for fans standing in the stadiums in duels of European competitions in France, Germany and England, a measure long demanded by fan groups.

The stands to follow the game on foot were progressively leaving the stadiums in Europe after deadly dramas such as those of Hillsborough in 1989 (97 deaths) and Furiani in 1992 (19 deaths) but they were returning “in some national competitions”, notes Uefa in a statement.

Several clubs had asked to remove the restriction

Affected fans and clubs, starting with Borussia Dortmund and its legendary ‘Yellow Wall’ of 24,000 fans, were asking Uefa to consider “extending this concept to European matches,” the Nyon, Switzerland-based organization added.

The Uefa Executive Committee decided on Wednesday an “observation program for standing places in stadiums during the 2022-2023 season”, limited to three countries that already authorize such devices -France, Germany and England-, pending an eventual extension.

“The objective is to assess whether and under what conditions the standing stands can be reintroduced in Uefa competitions in complete safety,” explains the instance.

At the end of 2011, a study was commissioned that revealed “very different approaches” between countries and sometimes between “regions and cities within the same country.”

The reaction to the new Uefa measure

“This is a historic victory for the European fan movement. We welcome Uefa’s evolution towards a fact-based security policy, taking into account the needs and expectations of active fans,” said Gregor Weinreich, Member of the Board of Management. of the association Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and coordinator of the “Europe Wants To Stand” campaign, launched in 2019.

SPORTS
with AFP