Shocked England Supporters Vent Fury over Disorder in Gelsenkirchen
The trip to and from the UEFA match between England and Serbia in Gelsenkirchen was tough for many English spectators. There were numerous complaints about lengthy wait times, particularly at night, with severe criticisms being hurled. However, authorities view the situation differently.
Criticism from abroad, calls for an investigation, yet a positive evaluation from the authorities: The supposed railway mess during the UEFA match between England and Serbia (1:0) in Gelsenkirchen has sparked much debate. The city administration declared a "positive conclusion" after the match, while English fans noted "major problems" in public transportation.
There were "isolated incidents" during the journey from the stadium to the racetrack on Sunday, as stated by the city of Gelsenkirchen in a statement. The departure also "went as planned with some exceptions." However, they also aim to discuss with the transportation companies "whether multilingual communication for fans during UEFA 2024 can still be optimized," said Luidger Wolterhoff, head of the Host City Operation Centers (HCOC).
Numerous fans reported chaotic conditions related to railway transportation before and after the game on social media. In fact, there was a significant disruption on the main line two and a half hours before kick-off. Consequently, many fans had to walk the long, almost one-mile walk to the stadium. Even long after midnight, there were still long queues, and fans were waiting for transport options. The scheduling was not clear, and some fans complained to ntv.de. "We are shocked about what the fans had to endure at the Gelsenkirchen game," wrote the fan organization "Free Lions." That people were still sitting on the floor at the main station in Gelsenkirchen three hours after the game due to transport issues at a major tournament was "simply ridiculous."
Crowds crowd station platforms
The organization, which claims to have evaluated numerous experience reports, criticized insufficient capacities, poor queue management, poor communication, and significant delays. "Free Lions" also demanded "a thorough review" from the organizers and the European Football Union (UEFA).
Images and videos show crowds on overcrowded station platforms near the arena, and at the main station in Gelsenkirchen, supporters of the teams reportedly waited for a long time for their onward journey. The transportation company Bogestra dismissed the criticism on social media. We stood up to challenges that are not unusual at major sports events, said a spokesperson to the Spiegel: "As a transportation company, we performed our duties appropriately."
The next UEFA game in Gelsenkirchen takes place on Thursday (9 PM/ntv.de-Liveticker), Spain and Italy will face off against each other. England could potentially meet Schalke again in the quarterfinals depending on the tournament progression.
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In light of these issues, fans are voicing concerns about the European Football Championship 2024 being held in Gelsenkirchen, given the struggles experienced with local traffic and soccer-related transportation during the recent England vs. Serbia match. Despite the transportation company's claims of handling the situation appropriately, the English fan organization, "Free Lions," has called for a thorough review of the situation by both organizers and UEFA.
