Child in wheelchair targeted by 'predatory' ticketless Euro final fan, report reveals

A child in a wheelchair was taken from his father by a man posing as an England Football official in a bid to gain entry to Wembley Stadium for the Euro 2020 final, a review has found.

It was just one example of how "ticketless fans targeted disabled supporters in a predatory fashion near the turnstiles" for the match.

The child’s father said the England fan had been wearing a high-visibility jacket in a bid to disguise himself as a steward to watch the July 11 England v Italy game.

Speaking in testimony to campaigning sports charity Level Playing Field for the report, the father said: "He’s then taken [son’s] wheelchair and pushed it towards the door … Just as we got to the door we twigged what was going on and it turned out he’s just an England fan in a high-viz jacket that was literally hijacking a wheelchair to get into the stadium."

In another instance, an England footballer's father said there was "a wave of bodies just flung to the floor, including a young lad in a wheelchair – it was terrifying, disgraceful."

The Sports Ground Safety Authority told how there were people "jumping over fans in wheelchairs."

A ticketholder who complained to the Football Association (FA) said they "saw people in wheelchairs struggling to get through the mosh pits, wheeling over cans and bottles and God knows what else."

Among its recommendations for the FA and Wembley ahead of future matches, the report by Baroness Casey into the events stated that "particular attention should be made to ensuring those entering through gates provided for wheelchair users and other more vulnerable members of society are not endangered by the reckless actions of others."

Baroness Casey wrote: "The drunkenness, drug-taking, irresponsibility, criminality and abuse of innocent people, including staff, families and disabled ticket-holders, was shocking and intolerable.

"I hope the police and other authorities continue to prosecute as many of the perpetrators as possible and the courts and football authorities apply the toughest possible punishments."