Istanbul CL Final chaos | City Matters statement (p 133)

[Citizen of Legoland]

I was on the nightmare Mad Dogs tv show style shuttle buses to and from the stadium. I won't repeat my story, other than to say I always had a bottle or bottles of water with me because I need to take meds. People were throwing up on my bus back to the airport and unable to stand up due to dehydration. My mate has to take cardiovascular meds. On his late arrival at the fan park, no drinks left other than little cups of water for five Euros then massive queues in the stadium. On the way back to the airport there were people unable to take their meds due to them not being able to get a drink. Some couldn't stand up on their bus back to the airport because pre-existing medical conditions were becoming more pronounced in the heat. The potential health catastrophes don't bear thinking about.

On the way back to the airport, the bus in front broke down and fans leaving the vehicle to walk along a high speed route in the dark in a far away place. No-one should have to queue for a drink in the stadium - there should be people going round handing out free bottles of water.

I was on that bus that broke down. I thought it was weird that three buses were following were right behind, they must have been in a convoy. I was quite glad they were there though, as soon as we stopped I envisaged some truck ploughing into us or the bus going up in flames, Jolly Boys Outing style.

 

[west didsblue]

In hindsight I should have risked it and gone back with the Inter fans on the Metro. Quite a few City fans did and there were no problems.

Exactly what I did in both directions, and having read about everyone’s experiences I’m so glad I did. Makes my negative experiences with the overzealous multiple security checks and the 90 minute queue for a cold overpriced hotdog pale into insignificance.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

Probably more likely they just fucking hate us and this was their punishment. It’s not a coincidence for me!

It will more likely be two things. Firstly the bus company were given a lump sum to provide buses but the way the Turkish economy has gone they have no longer been able to make a profit and therefore cut many corners. Secondly there were clearly no discussions with the stadium about how the buses would work after the game.

 

[Citizen1961]

I expected exiting the stadium to be more difficult as people leaving over a shorter period of time than when arriving.
However I didn't expect the farce that unfolded.
Zero direction, zero assistance.
I just felt anger at witnessing people in wheelchairs being pushed along rocky roads alongside coaches & taxis jostling for space.
The club needs to get into this because it's unacceptable & unnecessary ar any event, let alone a prestigious final.

 

[blueparsman]

Ive already contacted club asking if there is anyone to bring it to attention to. To possibly bring up with eufa. All i got back was contact sportsworld. I did not travel with sportsworld. So seems like club not going to listen.

Please contact Sportsworld here regarding any complains concerning the UEFA Champions League.

Thanks
Manchester City

 

[Lord Lion]

Ive already contacted club asking if there is anyone to bring it to attention to. To possibly bring up with eufa. All i got back was contact sportsworld. I did not travel with sportsworld. So seems like club not going to listen.

Please contact Sportsworld here regarding any complains concerning the UEFA Champions League.

Thanks
Manchester City

I have had total silence from the club. I am not expecting a response now. They should be shouting about this from the rooftops, but their silence is exceptionally telling!

 

[Edghill OG]

I think UEFA have to be taken to task over this by City. The whole thing was a disgrace. Getting from the fan park to the stadium in great heat, with no access to water, on a bus for 3 hours. Someone could have been seriously hurt. Get to the stadium to find they have stopped selling anything, including water. Adds to that danger. And many brought nothing as they knew they couldnt bring it into the stadium. And then leaving was even worse. We all were basically left to fend for ourselves. I had my young daughter with me. No one had any idea what was going on but I knew I couldn't walk it with her through fields or into streets i didnt know. We ended up running to catch a last shuttle to the airport and then got a taxi back into town from there. But if we hadn't, who knows how that could have ended. Iv never seen anything like that before....and iv been to Anfield!!!

As I arrived at 10.20 in the morning (Planning on soaking up some of the atmosphere before the game) the shuttle was from SAW to the fanzone in town. The listed time was 1 hour 40 and it took about 3.5 hours as the driver kept getting lost and taking wrong turnings. 75 percent of the people on it ended up getting out in the middle or Istanbul not knowing where to go to but had more confidence in themselves than the driver.

Because of that shitshow and knowing things are almost certainly only going to get worse myself and somebody else fucked the fanzone in town off. Jumped pretty much on another bus immediately to the stadium. Again quoted time was one hour but was more like 2.5. There was something wrong with the bus and it ended up breaking down on the main road. Driver flagged down another shuttle some time later and forced us onto an already full one. Personally was on a bus for about 6 hours just to get to the fucking stadium with no food, water or toilets. Admittedly could have got something in the fanzone in town but didn't want to queue up for them and consequently the queues get bigger for the buses.

Everybody knows about the carnage after the game so no point elaborating on that other than it was meant to be 1.5 hours and was closer to 3 from somebody that luckily got a last seat on one. I'm thinking their 1.5 hour estimate is a misprint and was really 'Stadium to Car Park Exit' and not SAW. None of these quoted times include queuing either. So roughly 9 hours on a bus when we'd been told just over 4. Absolute shitshow. In hindsight I wish I'd waited until 1 at the airport where the shittle buses went directly to the stadium or ignored UEFA's request and gone on the metro. The reason for the earlier flight was to have a bit of time in town. Complete pisstake.

 

[kerem gokmen]

i have one request from you guys,

there were lots of Ataturk stadiums in turkey since 1923, all over turkey.... they were all great stadiums.
that government (in 2002 they came), changed those names; they dont like the name ''Ataturk''.
but they did not change the name of that shitty olympic stadium. i dont know. maybe they did it on purpose, since it is shityy.
anyway,
you had bad experiences about that stadium, but dont call it Ataturk Stadium pls. ''Ataturk'' name do not deserve to be rememebered with that shitty place. call it Olympic stadium pls, or whatever you want.
thanks.

 

[Eds]

Ive already contacted club asking if there is anyone to bring it to attention to. To possibly bring up with eufa. All i got back was contact sportsworld. I did not travel with sportsworld. So seems like club not going to listen.

Please contact Sportsworld here regarding any complains concerning the UEFA Champions League.

Thanks
Manchester City

I emailed them on Monday morning, still awaiting a response. Nobody wants the hassle now they have had our money and the event has happened.

 

[Dubai Blue]

I've got a mate who works high up in events over here and he's always on the front line when hosting events (some of them massive like Expo 2020) so he can learn lessons for the future. That's what he gets paid for. But it seems anyone who works for City or UEFA is completely oblivious to the issues we all faced cos once it comes to matchday, they're all treated as VIPs. It's a complete pisstake. There should be people whose job it is to go through the exact same experience as the fans so these things don't keep happening.