Featured image credit: Andrea Ferrario on Unsplash
The Premier League’s Disability Advisory Group (DAG) has called for UEFA to help resolve a ticketing dispute between Spanish club Real Madrid and Liverpool, which will see disabled supporters only have access to four wheelchair spaces for a Champions League game in March.
The wheelchair spaces are also all contained in the home end of the 81,000-capacity Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (pictured), with the total number of tickets given to Liverpool amounting to 1,800.
Traditionally, Champions League clubs are required to allocate at least 5% of their capacity for visiting supporters, which would be at least double the current allocation.
Premier League club Liverpool has already questioned Real Madrid and UEFA over the reduced allocation, with supporters trusts Spirit of Shankly and the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association asking to remain in the dialogue throughout the process.
Now, the groups have been backed by the PL DAG, which comprises members from nine Premier League clubs including Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.
In a letter, the Premier League Disabled Supporters Group said: “The members of the PL DAG would like to express their support for Liverpool’s disabled supporters in expressing their anger and disappointment in the unsatisfactory and miserly offer by Real Madrid of only four wheelchair spaces for their upcoming Champions League game at the Bernabeu stadium.
“This offer breaks all of UEFA’s rules and again shows that they only pay lip service to the concepts of inclusion and fair treatment to disabled football fans. The added insult of the four places offered being located in the ‘home’ end just rubs salt into the wounds.”
The letter added: “We call on UEFA to take action against Real Madrid to force them to treat all away fans according to the rules.”
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