Euro 2020: Wales fans turned away from Amsterdam airport

Wales fans have been turned away from Amsterdam ahead of Saturday's Euro 2020 tie against Denmark.

The Netherlands currently bars non-essential visitors from the UK.

But Wales supporters said they had been treated unfairly after travelling to Amsterdam from Azerbaijan.

Jamie Shipp, 30, of Pontypridd said: "Surely our Covid risk should be based on having spent the previous 15 days in Baku, not because we are British nationals."

Danish fans can enter the Netherlands if they stay in the country for less than 12 hours as part of an exemption to the entry rules for EU and Schengen area residents.

The exception does not apply to Wales fans, following Brexit.

Mr Shipp and his friend James Lewis spent just over a fortnight in Azerbaijan to watch Wales' opening two games of the European Championships.

They did not travel to Rome for the final group game, but remained in Baku before heading for the last-16 tie in Amsterdam, via Moscow.

However, they said they faced an "interrogation" upon their arrival at Schiphol Airport and were made to feel like "criminals".

"As soon as we landed we were taken to one side and questioned by border control about why we were there," said Mr Lewis, 30, of Gilfach Goch.

"Then we were taken into a room individually, which felt like an interrogation. They treated us like criminals as if we were doing something wrong.

"We told them we had come from Azerbaijan and Russia, which weren't on their list of high-risk countries, but after three hours they just decided they weren't going to let us in because we were on holiday."

The UK is not included on an EU safe list, while watching football is not classified as essential travel.

The pair said they set off before the warning from Dutch police to Welsh fans not to travel and said they did not receive any guidance from the FAW or either the Welsh or UK governments.

In May, First Minister Mark Drakeford advised against foreign travel, followed by the Football Association of Wales saying the UK Foreign Office had issued advice, warning fans "not to travel".

"We did the research before we left about what countries were on Holland's red list," said Mr Shipp.

"We had been out of the country [UK] for 15 days so we thought we would be treated the same as those coming from Azerbaijan or Russia.

"Everyone else on that plane was allowed straight in, but as soon as border control saw our British passports, they had a think for a few hours and then said we couldn't come in.

"We were already in the country when the advice was issued. But surely our Covid risk shouldn't be based on our passport?"

While England and Scotland supporters have been able to watch their teams play in the UK, Wales fans had to travel to Baku and Rome and now are banned from entering Amsterdam - with some left hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

Mr Lewis said: "Wales fans have been treated harshly in this tournament. We had to travel 3,000 miles to Baku, now we're not allowed into Holland but the Danish fans are."

Mr Shipp added: "My only regret is not staying out in Baku and taking a risk on gamble on the quarter-final. But the positive is that we've still been able to watch Wales at a major tournament when many fans didn't have the chance."

The Welsh government has repeated an appeal for fans to stay in Wales amid the Covid pandemic.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said restrictions were in place to prevent the spread of the virus, particularly amid concerns over the Delta variant.

"We wish Wales the best of luck and would urge fans to enjoy the football at home," she said.

"We advise everyone - not just football fans - against travelling overseas this summer and although Wales getting to the next round of the Euros is really important- travelling there is not essential."

Meanwhile, three Denmark fans were infected with the Delta coronavirus variant by attending the Euro 2020 match against Belgium, according to the Danish Agency for Patient Safety.

The agency also said there have been 29 cases of infection in connection with three Euro 2020 matches in Copenhagen.

Euro 2020 chief medical officer Dr Zoran Bahtijarevic, said previously: "There isn't any situation in life where you are 100% safe, but watching in a stadium is safe because you are watching in a controlled surrounding in which UEFA and the local organisers have invested a lot of efforts to make it safer."