The presidents of FIFA and UEFA have condemned what German
authorities are treating as a deliberate bomb attack on the Borussia
Dortmund team bus on Tuesday.
Three explosions damaged the coach as it made its way from the team
hotel to Signal Iduna Park for the Champions League quarterfinal first
leg with Monaco.
Defender Marc Bartra was forced to undergo surgery after sustaining a
fractured wrist in the incident, which police are viewing as a
"targeted attack" on the Bundesliga side.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin expressed his distress at the
scenes in Dortmund and praised the decision to postpone the match until
Wednesday.
"I was deeply disturbed by the explosions which occurred in
Dortmund," he said in a statement. "The decision taken to postpone the
UEFA Champions League match between Borussia Dortmund and AS Monaco was
the correct one since we must always prioritise the safety and security
of all fans, team officials and players.
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the representatives
of the two clubs, the local authorities, and the supporters for their
cooperation on the ground."
FIFA chief GIanni Infantino stated world football's governing body
would continue to monitor the investigation into the incident and
Bartra's recovery.
"The thoughts of every one of us at FIFA are with the people of
Dortmund, and the fans of both Borussia Dortmund and Monaco following
today's troubling events," he said. "We are closely monitoring the
condition of BVB's Marc Bartra, and wish him a speedy recovery from his
injuries.
"FIFA condemn the incidents in Dortmund. We are all awaiting further details of the incident."
Police revealed that a letter claiming responsibility for the blasts
had been found at the crime scene and was being examined in order to
ascertain its authenticity.
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