Disability discrimination by leeds united football club

elsien

I had a similar conversation with Man U with regard to a woman with down's syndrome who wanted to go but couldn't afford two full price tickets, one for her and one for her carer. They sent a link to their disabled supporters club and that was it.
She certainly wouldn't have needed to sit in a "disabled" bit as she was perfectly mobile, and as for the other health and safety implications, that's why you have a carer go along with you. She never got to go in the end, as the money was just too much for her.

I sympathise with your argument, leedsmodus, but realistically can't see you getting much further with any complaints, I never did.

dmg24

elsien wrote: »

I had a similar conversation with Man U with regard to a woman with down's syndrome who wanted to go but couldn't afford two full price tickets, one for her and one for her carer. They sent a link to their disabled supporters club and that was it.
She certainly wouldn't have needed to sit in a "disabled" bit as she was perfectly mobile, and as for the other health and safety implications, that's why you have a carer go along with you. She never got to go in the end, as the money was just too much for her.

Why did you not follow it up with the disabled supporters club? Man Utd are absolutely brilliant at looking after their disabled supporters, both ablebodied and those with mobility problems.

dmg24

daska wrote: »

but you'd expect this to be a common policy at most clubs if it was a problem with insurance, it does sound more likely to be an over officious H&S decision.

I'm trying to think of a good comparison but can't come up with one that's quite the same. You can't legally stop a disabled person from viewing and/or renting a flat which could be difficult/dangerous for them to access, wouldn't you have the same problem with insurance for halls and stairways? But can you stop a disabled person using a swimming pool if there isn't a hoist to get them out?

This goes back to Hillsborough ... and for the clubs it is a case of damned if they do, damned if they don't.

The OP might be able to get to their seat in a calm environment, but what would happen if there was a big crowd incident? Everyone runs forward ...

elsien

dmg24 wrote: »

Why did you not follow it up with the disabled supporters club? Man Utd are absolutely brilliant at looking after their disabled supporters, both ablebodied and those with mobility problems.

I did, I emailed them but I never got any reply so I assumed that it was club policy and the supporters club was just a PR exercise to make Man U look good. Going back a few years now, so things may have changed since.

Richie-from-the-Boro

leedsmodus,

The club lets your carer in for nowt. It has a designated area for your specific [ immobility ] disability. It has a duty of care to you and your carer, also a duty of care to it's staff. In the event of a Hillsborough every designated responsible employee or officer of the club via their training programmes knows where you are and what need to be done to satisfy legislation.

Your child was allowed to be with you not separated from you. You pay one and a half seats for the price of two and a half seats in the Boro, but in Leeds you pay two seats for the price of two and a half seats and the child can sit with his / her dad. Now to the issue, there is no disabled supporters club to fight your corner, to get concessions, to help the club understand the wishes / needs of the disabled. That's not the fault of the club, its the fault of the disabled. Get on to your local ' fanzine ' start a LDSC yourself, talk to the local newspapers, or at least start doing something instead of crying its the fault of disability legislation .. .. its not !

* the free entry for the carer is a gift, take it for what it is
* the duty of care is the same for all attendees & staff
* in most grounds an accompanied blind but mobile person may be allowed anywhere in the ground
* in most grounds other disabilities that have mobility may also be allowed anywhere in the ground
* if its the case you outline in Elland Rd, its policy not discrimination, you may not like their policy, but its not discrimination
* its a gift, take it for what it is, better off clubs with more resource's can afford more staff / limited flexibility of seating
* read the DDA, its nothing whatever to do with DDA, stop claiming you are a victim.
* LDSC = Leeds Disabled Supporters Club, start one yourself, the Rhino's already have one.

jennie-jack

go and support manchester city thay have been fantastic with my husband and son. we pay for my sons ticket and my husband goes free. they have season tickets so have their own seats but they are where they wanted them to be in the ground and when they first went they actually took them into the ground to show them their seats to make sure they were ok for them. really good service and they got a lift pass card with their picture on.

GlasweJen

I thought that policy was widespread? At both Parkhead and Ibrox I sit in a designated disabled seat even though I have no mobility problems, dad's a season ticket holder and he can sit with me or in the stands. My sister who works in security for one of the above clubs tells me it's because the disabled seats have a higher ratio of staff and are located closer to exits so that if anything happens they know that everyone who could need help getting out is and they can make sure those people are safe.

Apparently this has been standard in Scotland since the Ibrox disaster.

dragongirlmaz

We support an ex league club (sadly) who are now in the conference and we have a free season ticket for the carer and pay the concession season ticket price for my sister. This was the same when we were in the league. We have normal seats in the main stand.

Tiddlywinks

It is NOT discrimination.

Their 'reasonable adjustment' is to provide appropriate seats and facilities to give disabled people access to the match - anything above that is an indulgence and not required by law.

Why does the club owe you a seat in the stands? If you want to watch the match at favourable rates then sit in the allocated area. If you want to watch the game from your own choice of seat then pay the money - you see, you have choices.

The club provides access for disabled fans - you just don't like what's on offer - tough luck.

jetta_wales

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

It is NOT discrimination.

Their 'reasonable adjustment' is to provide appropriate seats and facilities to give disabled people access to the match - anything above that is an indulgence and not required by law.

Why does the club owe you a seat in the stands? If you want to watch the match at favourable rates then sit in the allocated area. If you want to watch the game from your own choice of seat then pay the money - you see, you have choices.

The club provides access for disabled fans - you just don't like what's on offer - tough luck.

How is charging extra for children with a disabled parent than for children of a non dissabled parent not discrimination then?