European football's governing body UEFA has continued to try and blame Liverpool fans for the chaos in Paris at the Champions League Final last month - despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Despite previously apologising to both Liverpool and Real Madrid fans for the chaotic and dangerous organisation before and after the Stade de France final, today saw UEFA events chief Martin Kallen continue to push discredited claims about fake tickets and the behaviour of LFC supporters.
Thousands of Reds fans were forced into dangerously small spaces outside the Stade de France before being targeted with tear gas and pepper spray by French police. After the game a number of supporters were attacked and robbed by local gangs, with no police protection.
READ MORE: Paris police chief 'says sorry' after Champions League final disgrace
Mr Kallen was appearing before the French Senate, which is holding a wide-ranging inquiry and has already heard from politicians on both sides of the Channel. Today Mr Kallen repeated some of the disputed claims already heard by French ministers about warnings of large numbers of Liverpool fans trying to turn up with fake tickets.
While he accepted the 40,000 fake ticket number originally suggested by French interior minister Gerald Darminan was wrong, he claimed there were more than the 2,600 previously offered up by UEFA, without offering any evidence to back this up.
Journalist Daniel Austin, who has been covering the story in England and France, accused Mr Kallen of also talking 'absolute nonsense about unquantifiable ticket forgeries' and 'refusing to engage at any stage with the organisational failures of UEFA.'
Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne, who was one of many Reds fans to experience the dangerous crushes created by the organisers before the match, was furious at the comments by Mr Kallen. He said: "The UEFA response at the Senate should trouble every football supporter across Europe. A senior figure is telling lies on the stand. Smearing the LFC supporters who averted another disaster of UEFA's making. This organisation is morally bankrupt and not fit for purpose."
Others were similarly critical. Guardian sports writer Sachin Nakrani added: "Uefa had chance today to admit to errors in regards to the organisation and policing of the the Champions League final and vow to do better in the future. Instead they leaned into the cover-up and highlighted their own incompetence. Shocking but also not surprising from that lot."
UEFA has already caused great anger amongst Liverpool fans after initially issuing a message which blamed 'late arriving Liverpool supporters' for the final's kick-off being delayed. When this was easily disproven, the narrative quickly shifted to one about fake tickets.
While the governing body says it is investigating the events, many fans have little faith in the process after Liverpool supporters were kept out of it. Today's appearance by Mr Kallen will only have made Reds fans more sceptical. Later today the Senate will hear from the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association and representatives from Reds fans union the Spirit of Shankly.
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