LONDON: England fans allegedly bribed stewards and used counterfeit tickets to gain entry to London's Wembley Stadium for the Euro 2020 final, triggering turmoil that left defender Harry Maguire's father injured, according to reports.
An unnamed fan told the Guardian newspaper on Wednesday that ticketless fans used the messaging app Telegram to share tips on breaching security before and during the riots on Sunday, adding to anecdotal evidence of a premeditated event.
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After getting caught up in the event, Maguire stated his father had two suspected fractured ribs and struggled to breathe.
Unruly ticketless supporters trampled Alan Maguire, 56, and Kenneth Shepherd, the Manchester United player's agent, as they entered the stadium before the England-Italy match.
“It wasn't a pleasant experience for him; it left him shaken. It was terrifying. “I don't want anyone to go through that at a football match,” Maguire said in an interview with the British tabloid The Sun.
Hundreds of people seeking tickets and assistance in breaching security, according to a 24-year-old man who goes by the pseudonym "Pablo," told The Guardian Telegram groups contained hundreds of people seeking tickets and assistance in breaching security, estimating 5,000 people illegally entered Wembley Stadium.
He said that some fans bribed stewards for as little as £20 ($28, 23 euros), while others fabricated tickets in their names by changing images of actual tickets.
When the disabled access were opened, some 300 supporters flooded in, according to the source, adding to several claims that some fans tailgated those with valid tickets to get through the turnstiles.
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As England supporters overpowered security staff to enter the stadium and occupy the seats of paying spectators, Alan Maguire, who was injured in the subsequent violent riot, refused medical treatment.
“My father is a huge admirer, and he just got on with it.” He was having trouble breathing due to his ribs, but he's not the kind to complain,” Harry Maguire was reported as adding.
“He was fortunate because he always had my nephew or one of my kids on his shoulders at every game,” the 28-year-old footballer explained.
UEFA, the governing body of European football, charged England's Football Association on Tuesday, saying it would assign a "ethical and disciplinary investigator" to look into the pre-match occurrences.
Fans booing Italy's national anthem, lighting a firecracker, a mid-game pitch invasion, and supporters throwing items were among the offenses.
In conjunction with the Euro 2020 final, London's police force reported it made 86 arrests and 19 policemen were hurt.
It also stated that it would investigate complaints of racial abuse directed at the three black England players who missed penalty kicks, which has prompted a groundswell of fan support for them.
In just two days, a petition to permanently ban racists from football events gathered more than one million signatures in response to the abuse.
Unruly fans' behavior at the match was criticized by Maguire, prompting suspicion that it could jeopardize a combined UK-Ireland bid to host the 2030 World Cup finals.
He called the fans' conduct "very unacceptable," adding that his father would still attend games but would be more aware now.
“Things could have gone a lot worse,” he added, “but we have to make sure it doesn't happen again.”
Following a 1-1 draw in extra time, Italy won the match 3-2 on penalties to capture their first European Championships title since 1968.
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