UEFA officially has a chronic problem with flares at Euro 2016, and they can’t seem to be able to do anything about it. During today’s Euro 2016 match between Hungary and Iceland, Hungary fans threw flares onto the pitch after their side benefitted from an equalizing own goal in the 86th minute that would eventually lead to a 1-1 draw. The match was delayed as stewards had to remove the flares from the pitch.
After the game, The Independent interviewed UEFA officials about their efforts to prevent fans from smuggling flares and fireworks into stadiums, which they deemed an “extremely difficult” task. The Independent even went so far as to call them “powerless” at setting up preventative measures at stadium entrances.
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One correspondent from AFP said that a fan may have even smuggled a flare by way of a certain flare-shaped hole:
Hungary’s use of flares was by no definition the most flagrant, as Croatian fans, who have a history of causing problems, halted the match against Czech Republic with a whole corner of a field covered in flame and smoke. The Czech Republic answered back with a bullet of a penalty kick. (Thankfully.)
With fans allegedly smuggling flares by way of their bummy-holes, it’s really hard to know what UEFA can do at this point.
