CAFE has published guidance on disability hate to provide further information alongside the Disability Hate Incident reporting tool. 

Every spectator deserves to have a positive experience at live sports matches and attend without fear of abuse. Yet around 1 in 4 disabled spectators across Europe have experienced or witnessed an act of disability discrimination at a football match.

CAFE has carried out extensive research into the best practices for collecting reports, responding appropriately, and creating strategies to reduce such incidents. As part of this research, disabled supporters and their companions were interviewed about the types of incidents than occur, the impact they have on supporters, and what supporters believe can be done to combat them.

The guidance document summarises this research and is designed to educate clubs and national associations on disability hate incidents. It aims to encourage clubs and national associations to react to reports appropriately and to take preventative actions to stop incidents from occurring in the first place.

Download the CAFE guidance note.

As part of our strategy for preventing disability hate within football, CAFE is recording incidents of disability hate at football matches across the world. 

Disability hate incidents can include harassment, verbal abuse, bullying or intimidation, physical violence, threats, online abuse, using disability slurs, and theft of or damage to property.

The following real-life examples would be classified by CAFE as a disability hate incident within football:

• A disabled spectator being abused for moving too slowly up a staircase
• Other spectators damaging or stealing mobility equipment from disabled spectators
• A group of spectators mocking disabled spectators at matches by mimicking and filming autistic spectators stimming
• Spectators abusing match officials and players using disability slurs (at matches or online)

Please report any incidents where disabled people or people percevied to be disabled have been targeted at football matches. No incident is too minor and all will be treated equally by CAFE.

To submit a report, please see our incident reporting tool.

If you need immediate support as you are currently at a match or if it is an emergency, please contact the matchday staff or local police and report to CAFE later.

For further information, please contact CAFE at [email protected] or call +44 (0)203 355 9867.