Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster (Italian: Strage dell'Heysel [ˈstraːdʒe delleiˈzɛl]; German: Katastrophe von Heysel [ˌkataˈstʁoːfə fɔn ˈhaɪzl̩]; French: Drame du Heysel [dʁam dy ɛzɛl]; Dutch: Heizeldrama [ˈɦɛizəlˌdraːmaː]) was a crowd disaster that occurred on 29 May 1985 when Juventus F.C. fans escaping from an attack by Liverpool fans were pressed against a collapsing wall in the Heysel Stadium, which was poorly maintained and in desperate need of repair having failed inspections prior to the disaster, in Brussels, Belgium, before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between the Italian and English clubs. Thirty-nine people—mostly Italians and Juventus fans—were killed and 600 were injured in the confrontation.
| Date | 29 May 1985 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Heysel Stadium |
| Location | Brussels, Belgium |
| Coordinates | 50°53′45″N 4°20′3″E |
| Cause | Decrepit stadium, poor policing, rioting |
| Filmed by | European Broadcasting Union |
| Participants | Supporters of Liverpool and Juventus |
| Outcome | English clubs banned from European competition for five years; Liverpool for six years |
| Deaths | 39 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 600 |
| Arrests | 34 |
| Convicted | Police captain Johan Mahieu, and 14 Liverpool fans convicted of manslaughter |
Approximately an hour before the Juventus–Liverpool final was due to kick off, incidents of aggression between the two sets of supporters were taking place across the flimsy divide between the Liverpool section and what was intended to have been the "neutral" section, populated by those who had purchased tickets in Belgium. The throwing of objects back and forth led to larger scale physical aggression—the chicken wire fence was ripped down, and after initial fighting, the fans in the neutral section began to run away from the Liverpool fans who had become involved and in the direction of the wall. They charged at Juventus supporters and breached a fence that was separating them from a "neutral area". Fans already standing near the wall were crushed; eventually the wall collapsed, allowing others to escape but also leading to the majority of deaths. Many people climbed over to safety, but many others died or were badly injured. The game was played despite the pre-match incidents by authorities and organizers' joint decision for public policy doctrine reasons after a state of siege was declared in the city, with Juventus winning 1–0.
The tragedy resulted in all English football clubs being placed under an indefinite ban by Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) from all European competitions (lifted in 1990–91), with Liverpool being excluded for an additional two years, later reduced to one, and 14 Liverpool fans were found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to six years' imprisonment. The disaster was later described as "the darkest hour in the history of the UEFA competitions".