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Heysel-type mishap ‘avoided at Stade’
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FRENCH sports minister Patrick Kanner praised security officials at the Stade de France for keeping their nerves when faced with the attacks that hit Paris last week, saying yesterday that a major tragedy had been avoided.
The Stade de France was packed with 79,000 fans when three attackers blew themselves up outside the venue, killing a bystander. There also were several dozen injuries.
Kanner, who attended the friendly game between France and Germany on Friday, said the decision to keep spectators inside and let the match continue after the blasts was decisive “because a Heysel-type panic could have occurred”.
Kanner referred to the former Heysel stadium in Brussels where 39 people died during fan violence at the 1985 European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus.
“The tragic events (at Stade de France) had a limited impact in terms of human losses because of the great professionalism and the composure of the teams working at the stadium,” Kanner said, after visiting the venue along with justice minister Christiane Taubira and secretary of state for sports Thierry Braillard.
In Brussels 30 years ago, Liverpool fans broke into an adjacent section of the Heysel stadium holding Juventus supporters. In the ensuing chaos, victims were either trampled or suffocated to death as they tried to flee. Others died when a retaining wall collapsed.
The match controversially went ahead, allowing authorities to restore a semblance of order in the chaos and arrange a relatively peaceful departure of the fans of both clubs.
Heysel has since been completely rebuilt and renamed Roi Baudouin stadium, hosting matches at the European Championship in 2000.
The Paris attacks have raised questions about France’s ability to safely host Euro 2016.
Former France great Just Fontaine has suggested his country should not stage the tournament, its biggest sporting event since the 1998 World Cup.
“This is misplaced criticism,” Kanner said. “We have shown that we are capable of securing our stadiums.”
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