The FPF currently has an inclusion policy that promotes accessibility to premises for people with disabilities and neurodivergence.
Football wants to be an example for society in terms of accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities in stadiums, assured today the director of Social Responsibility at UEFA, who praised the work of the Portuguese federation in this area.
“We want to be an example for civil society, more than for other sports. We are a big ‘showcase’ in the world, with millions and millions of fans watching the games, and our work in this area. We need to teach by example, to act and take concrete actions, improving every day”, said Michele Uva.
The director of the body that governs European football was speaking at Cidade do Futebol, in Oeiras, during the presentation of the latest version of the UEFA Accessibility Guide, a guiding document for federations, clubs and other football agents.
Michele Uva acknowledged that the path, started 13 years ago, with the first guide, “is long”, but assured that “there is a great commitment from everyone, particularly from federations and clubs, to include everyone in the world of football”.
“We are working with the European Club Association (ECA) to, together with the clubs, understand and help improve accessibility to venues, understand what can be improved in terms of infrastructure, but also in the human resources of each club”, he explained.
Uva highlighted the need to “inspire and accelerate the process of making football accessible to everyone”, remembering that “clubs, which play every week and welcome thousands and thousands of people into their venues, have a fundamental role in the process”.
“People with disabilities feel part of this world, this passion that is football, we have to do this work together”, he considered, drawing attention to the importance of the role “of the media in this mission, as they are a privileged means of publicizing the message of inclusion”.
The director of Social Responsibility at UEFA praised the “fantastic plan” that the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has for this area, considering the national body “as a European leader in the matter”.
“FPF has done a fantastic job in terms of accessibility, it has always been at the forefront. That is also why, to express gratitude, today, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we are here”, he said.
The Secretary of State for Sports, Pedro Dias, also praised the work of the FPF, considering that Portugal “has been an example” and recalled that the “accessibility rules are defined in law”.
“Football can also be a reference for other sports, we must thank UEFA for this very important work for the family of sport”, said Pedro Dias, former federative director, challenging the European body to invest in accessibility in beach soccer and in futsal.
The FPF currently has an inclusion policy that promotes accessibility to facilities for people with disabilities and neurodivergence.
Under this policy, the FPF provides, among other facilities, accessible routes and places, audio-descriptive commentary for people who are blind or have low vision, sign language for deaf people, at some moments during the games.
For neurodivergent people, the organization creates for each game, next to a specific stand, a space with a calmer and calmer atmosphere, with the aim of creating areas of rest and relaxation.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), there are around 1.3 billion people in the world with some type of disability, which represents 16% of the world’s population.
