UK police to investigate treatment of England fans
The Nations League game in Athens on Thursday was attended by about 3,500 England supporters
- Published
UK police will investigate claims Greek police in Athens used riot shields and tear gas on England supporters before the Nations League match with Greece.
Officers from the United Kingdom Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) were at the game and "actively worked" with local authorities to help "influence a change of tactics".
The Football Supporters' Association (FSA) is of the situation that unfolded outside of the Athens Olympic Stadium on Thursday.
Free Lions, the FSA's fans' embassy team, said there is "still clearly so much needed" to ensure fans are not put in "unjustifiably dangerous situations".
In a statement to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sport, the UKFPU said: "A team of officers from the UKFPU were present at the match in Greece and we are aware of the difficulties that some fans experienced when attempting to enter the stadium.
"Officers actively worked with their counterparts to influence a change of tactics and, following the match, an investigation will now take place in partnership with the FA and FSA."
The Football Association said it is obtaining information to establish what happened.
About 3,500 England supporters travelled to the Greek capital for the sold-out fixture but some complained of being "pushed" and receiving "heavy-handed" treatment from local police.
The FSA said Uefa, European football's governing body, has also been informed.
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sport has contacted Uefa for comment.
One fan, the treatment was "completely unnecessary" but added "unfortunately you come to expect it following England".
local officers were "funnelling hundreds of fans (including children) into a few entrances" then became aggressive when "there was a squeeze".
"Despite being told how things would operate in advance, to see the exact opposite occur in some cases, and to see the treatment of our fans by local police using shields and tear gas to do something as simple as rearrange a queue, is so incredibly frustrating," Free Lions wrote on X.
"On a night where we had a great result on the pitch, there is still clearly so much needed to do off it to ensure our supporters aren’t put in unjustifiably dangerous situations."