Heartbreak, chaos, and fan violence - The Euro 2020 final

Reactions to England’s Wembley defeat and racist abuse towards players

In this week’s ‘Deep Dive’ episode, Chris is joined by Nick Blackburn, director at Cheltenham Town Football Club; Rachel Wearmouth, senior political correspondent at the Daily Mirror; and Alison Bender, broadcast journalist and football presenter.

The conversation begins with guests sharing their personal experiences of watching the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium. They describe the tension, heartbreak and unlawful behaviour of fans – throwing bottles, climbing buildings, bribing stewards, and breaking into the stadium.

The discussion moves on to debate who is responsible for the chaos which unfolded, and a lack of enforcement from police and authorities in the run up to the game. Guests highlight the shocking racial abuse which players have received on social media since, and how England fans booed during the Italian national anthem.

Together they also consider how Boris Johnson vocalised his backing of the team; his failure to support players taking the knee, and whether it was inevitable that politics would enter the pitch.

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