The threat of abuse is a barrier to attending sporting events for more fans with disabilities than ever before, according to a new report.
The percentage of audiences citing mistreatment of disability as a barrier was at the highest level (8.5 per cent) recorded in the four years the charity Level Playing Field has conducted annual surveys.
This is despite the survey receiving a record number of participants this year, with 2,055 responses out of a total of 1,924 fans, with some individuals giving answers for more than one team they follow.
Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out’s latest annual report for 2023-24 found a 35 per cent increase in the number of reports of disability abuse compared to the previous season.
The 2024 level of play data, released Tuesday afternoon, found that others’ attitudes were the second biggest barrier to attendance for 26 percent of participants.
The report said: “Clubs must ensure that there is a clear process for fans to report any disability discrimination they experience on match day, and that this process is known to fans. All reports must be taken seriously, investigated and responded to. Supervisors must “Receive appropriate training to recognize and act on any disability abuse.”
The report addressed a wide range of issues associated with the live sporting experience for disabled fans.
A fifth of survey respondents said they would benefit from the option of being able to pay with cash at venues, while more than a quarter (26.5%) said they would benefit from having a physical ticket.
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Sky Sports News visits Southwark Stars Disability Football Club, which provides life-changing experiences for adults with learning disabilities in London. They provide football opportunities to 100 men and women across London
Nearly half (47%) said they attended a match most weeks, 2% more than the number who gave the same answer in 2023.
However, there was a four per cent drop – from 34 per cent to 30 per cent – in those who said they attended once or twice a month, so the proportion of fans regularly attending live sporting events is still slightly lower overall.
Physical access to venues was the most common barrier to attendance – cited by 33 percent of respondents – but concerns about cost were the barrier that saw the biggest increase this year compared to last year – up 5.5 percent to 22.5 percent.
24.5 percent of participants reported difficulty purchasing tickets, and 24 percent reported anxiety or lack of confidence.
22% said there was a sporting event or place they felt unable to attend because it was inaccessible, the lowest percentage saying so in the four years of the survey.
“The main positive trend that the results show is the year-on-year decline in the proportion of disabled fans who reported feeling unable to attend any sport or sporting venues because they are not accessible,” Tony Taylor, chairman of Level Playing Field, said in the report. .
“The marginal decline in 2024, following a significant decline the previous year, is very encouraging. However, it remains completely unacceptable that more than a fifth of disabled sports fans are unable to attend some events due to lack of accessibility.”
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History was made in the Home of Cricket when MCC played ECB in the first disabled match at Lord’s pitch.
71% said that accessibility affected their arrival and departure time. Of that group, more than half said they arrived an hour or two before the start of the match, while more than a quarter left between 15 and 5 minutes before the end.
Concerns about crowding were the main reason for arriving and leaving early, cited by more than two-thirds of the group.
“In some cases, improvements to facilities may help alleviate these problems, but it is clear that changing the attitudes of other supporters and implementing effective supervision would significantly improve access to events,” the report said.
The report found that the ratings given for accessibility of places in England and Wales were similar to the first report in 2021 overall, with respondents asked to choose between non-existent, very poor, poor, adequate, good, very good or excellent. And “I don’t know.”
One in five fans with disabilities rated their interactions with hosts as less than adequate. The report said the 2024 ratings were “significantly worse” than 2023.
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