Champions League Final Disrupted by Multiple Pitch Invaders Despite £5 Million Security Overhaul
The highly anticipated Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid was marred by a series of pitch invasions in the opening minutes of the match at Wembley Stadium in London. Despite the Football Association (FA) spending £5 million on enhancing security for the event, described as the "largest security operation in the stadium's history," three separate individuals managed to breach the pitch and disrupt play.
The first incident occurred just 30 seconds into the match, as a man in a white shirt and Puma shorts ran onto the field, appearing to film the action on his cellphone. Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer quickly reacted, tackling the intruder to the ground in an effort to assist the overwhelmed security staff.
Moments later, two additional men broke through the security perimeter and made their way onto the pitch. One was apprehended near the halfway line, while the other temporarily evaded capture before Sabitzer intervened, chasing down the individual and shoving him to the ground to aid the security team in detaining him.
The FA had invested heavily in bolstering Wembley's security infrastructure in the wake of the chaotic scenes that marred the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy, where fans without tickets stormed the stands, leading to scenes of "drink and drug-fueled chaos." The security measures implemented for the Champions League final were designed to avoid a repeat of such incidents, with over 2,500 stewards deployed, the most ever seen at the stadium.
The security upgrades included strengthening all of Wembley's doors with additional magnetic lock systems, installing additional fences and gates throughout the stadium's perimeter, and significantly bolstering the security beneath the iconic Olympic steps. Furthermore, the FA invested in improving CCTV coverage both inside and outside the stadium, as well as opening a second security control room to monitor events beyond the stadium's immediate vicinity, such as nearby tube stations and local pubs.
One of the criticisms of the security operation during the Euro 2020 final was the perceived apprehensive approach from some of the stewards, who lacked the necessary expertise to handle the intoxicated fans intent on causing trouble. The FA has since claimed to have improved its training and vetting strategies for selecting stewards for Wembley events, although the selection pool may have been lower due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite these extensive security measures, the Champions League final was disrupted by the actions of the three pitch invaders, raising questions about the effectiveness of the "ring of steel" operation and the FA's ability to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. The investigation into the breach of security is ongoing, and the FA has vowed to learn from this experience to ensure the safety and security of future high-profile events at Wembley Stadium.
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