An interview with Max Access, the CAFE Week of Action’s mascot

An interview with Max Access, the CAFE Week of Action’s mascot

This season’s CAFE Week of Action 2017 – Total Football Total Access – will take place on 4-12 March 2017. The CAFE Week of Action is an annual event to celebrate the wider inclusion of disabled people within football, the world’s most popular game. The 2017 initiative will be the fifth successive CAFE Week of Action, with the number of activities increasing each year. CAFE is also delighted to introduce Max Access, the official mascot of the CAFE Week of Action 2017. Max is a young disabled fan, and will be helping to promote events taking place under the Total Football Total Access banner.

Hello Max, how are you?
I feel great thank you. I’ve been travelling all around Europe watching live football matches with my family and friends. I just love watching live matches!

 

What makes you enjoy live football so much?
I enjoy meeting other fans from all around the world, and talking about football with them. There is no better feeling in the world than being in a stadium full of fans cheering their team on. The roar of the crowd when a goal is scored is incredible.

 

Can you describe some of your matchday experiences for us?
I am partially sighted, so I can see some of the game but it helps me a lot when a stadium has audio-descriptive commentary. The audio-descriptive commentators explain exactly what is happening, as it happens. So when we score, or save a penalty for example, I know straight away and can celebrate with the rest of the crowd. I can even talk with the rest of the crowd about whether or not a penalty should have been given, or if that player actually was offside!

 

Why is the CAFE Week of Action – Total Football Total Access – so important?
I have known about CAFE and the work they do for a long time. They work to make it easier for me and other disabled fans to enjoy live football with our family and friends. The CAFE Week of Action is a chance to celebrate inclusion and to tell the world that disabled fans love football and want to be able to enjoy live matches like all other fans.

 

How can football clubs, stadiums, national football associations and disabled fans groups get involved in the CAFE Week of Action?
There are many different ways that you can join the CAFE Week of Action 2017. CAFE has published a list of suggested activities here, but there are a lot of other creative ways to take part. I am looking forward to hearing all about some of the great events being planned!

 

What will you be doing during the CAFE Week of Action?
I will be doing what I love the most – going to live football matches! I will be travelling all around Europe and even to Brazil to take part in CAFE Week of Action activities. I can’t wait – I’m so excited to meet even more football fans and talk about why we love football.

 

That sounds very exciting. How can we keep up to date with your adventures?
I have created my own Twitter page, and will be uploading all my experiences on there. Please follow me at @MaxAccessCAFE, and follow the CAFE Twitter and Facebook pages @cafefootball for updates on the CAFE Week of Action 2017.

 

Do you have a final message you would like to share with the football world?
I just want to urge as many people, disabled supporters groups, football clubs, stadiums and national football associations as possible to get involved in the CAFE Week of Action. It is a really important topic – going to live matches is my favourite thing in the world and it makes me sad when I can’t go. It doesn’t have to cost anything to get involved and by taking part you can help many other disabled football fans – just like me!

For more information about the Week of Action 2017, including suggestions about how you can get involved, please download our information guide here or check out CAFE’s website.