We were pleased to have the opportunity to present at the Coliseum Summit Europe 2024, taking place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Our CEO, Olivier Jarosz, was joined on stage by Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association (LDSA) Chair Ted Morris, to offer their insights and to discuss ways of ensuring that all fans can enjoy a safe, welcoming and accessible live match experience.

Ted shared a number of his unique experiences, having attended live matches as both a disabled and a non-disabled fan, and raised awareness of many of the barriers that disabled people can still face in attending live sports events.

He also referenced the significant increase in the number of disabled fans able to attend live matches in recent years, certainly aided by the publication of UEFA Circular Letter No42: Wheelchair spaces for visiting supporters – Minimum standards. This circular letter outlines the minimum number of wheelchair user spaces that should be made available for away supporters in UEFA club competitions, and has ensured that many disabled fans have the possibility of following their teams in European competition.

It was clear throughout the session that fans, and in particular disabled fans, have a vital role to play in making live sport truly inclusive for all. The greater empowerment of disabled fans and their advocates can only be a good thing both in recognising where the barriers exist, and how to remove them.

Coliseum is a global series of stadium and arena business conferences, a sports venue news online-platform and an international publication dedicated to the various challenges of designing, constructing and operating of sports venues all around the world.

Olivier said, “We were delighted to take part in the Coliseum Summit Europe in this truly iconic stadium. Accessibility and disabled fans requirements have been taken in to consideration at every stage of designing this venue, and as a result so many disabled fans can enjoy a great matchday experience here”.

“We would like to extend a huge thank you to Coliseum and Michael Rennschmied for inviting us to join them for the Summit, and for ensuring that disabled fans experiences were on the agenda. Events such as these, with a wonderfully diverse group of delegates assembled, are vital in raising wider awareness and making sure that those with the opportunity to make change have accessibility at the forefront of their minds”, added Olivier.

For further information on the Summit, please visit the Coliseum website.

Published 27/3/2024