UEFA has been tipped to bring about “significant change” for disabled football enthusiasts through a capital grade gaming programme.
The capital’s Treasury offers help, information and recommendations for access for disabled spectators and is trying to organize a meeting between disabled enthusiasts and “decision makers”.
“The need for urgent action on access and inclusion rules for away fans in Europe is clear,” said Tony Taylor, President of Degree Playing Ground.
A total of 232 disabled supporters responded to a survey which raised concerns about accessibility and inclusion on farmland in Europe.
Of the 43% who said they had attended away matches in Europe, 29% rated UEFA’s verbal exchange with disabled fans as “non-existent”, while 20% said the governing system’s fidelity in offering available match days was “bad”. “.
“The results of this survey have demonstrated the current anecdotal reports of poor access. It is important that the governing body now sees this as an opportunity to work with clubs and venues to ensure they meet the requirements for disabled fans, allowing them to travel with confidence,” Taylor added.
“We will help clubs make use of this report, to help identify how they can provide relevant support to their disabled fans, but UEFA must show leadership and commitment to inclusion to achieve meaningful change.”
Another key factor raised in Grade Playing in Ground’s Ecu survey was the position of available seating, with 79% of wheelchair users saying they had been asked to sit in divisions alongside home supporters .
“This is a worrying statistic, as it represents a significant safety problem,” reads the Grado Jugando en Tierra report.
“The risks in accommodating disabled fans should not be ignored, particularly as more than a quarter of disabled fans have identified ‘the attitudes of others’ as a barrier to attending.”
BBC Game has approached UEFA for comment.