Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) will implement increased security measures at Euro 2024 matches and pursue legal action against any fan who breaches the pitch, following an incident where six spectators tried to take photos with Cristiano Ronaldo during Portugal’s victory over Turkey in Dortmund.
The game, which Portugal won 3-0, was interrupted four times by fans running onto the field towards Ronaldo, prompting referee Felix Zwayer to pause play. After the match, two more individuals attempted to approach Ronaldo, prompting concerns from Portugal coach Roberto Martinez about player safety.
Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion is set to host a semifinal and Germany’s round-of-16 match, with UEFA now planning enhanced security across all venues to prevent future pitch invasions.
UEFA spokesperson said, “Safety and security in the stadium, on the pitch and at team facilities are the ultimate priority for UEFA, DFB (German Football Association) and Euro 2024.
“To this end, additional safety measures will be deployed in the stadiums to further meet the requirements of the tournament, and to prevent such incidents. For reasons of security, we cannot comment further on specific measures.”
UEFA has additionally requested German authorities to intervene when fans enter the field and to consider banning those involved from the rest of Euro 2024.
The spokesperson said, “As a reminder, any incursion onto the pitch constitutes a breach of the stadium rules and will result in expulsion from the stadium, a ban from all tournament matches and the filing of a formal criminal complaint for trespass.”
Portugal clinched their spot in the round of 16 as Group F champions after beating Turkey. They will face Georgia in Gelsenkirchen for their last group match on Wednesday.
Following that, the Euro 2016 champions will play their round-of-16 match in Frankfurt on July 1 against a team that finished third in their group.
Nancy Mbamalu
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