More inclusive Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BTK

More inclusive Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BTK

On the occasion of the resumption of Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BKT after the international break, the LFP and HandiCaPZéro support blind and visually impaired supporters for the 10th consecutive season with the release of practical guides.

For ten years, the Professional Football League and HandiCaPZéro have combined their expertise to provide blind and visually impaired people with a Ligue 1 Uber Eats guide and another dedicated to Ligue 2 BKT. This pioneering programme remains unique in France today.

Presentation of the season, calendar of days, clubs and squads, all of the practical content is suitable for all blind and visually impaired supporters. Each guide adapts to needs with three versions: a Braille format, another format in large characters and an audio version (CD and download from handicapzero.org).

In addition to these free guides, blind and visually impaired supporters can find a dedicated section on handicapzero.org bringing together the results and standings of Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BKT. For the occasion, HandiCaPZéro collected testimonials from several users who also tell us how they experience Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BKT throughout the season.

“I’m a sports fan in general and I love the guides offered by HandiCaPZéro. They allow me to read and keep this link with braille. When I have the chance to go see a match at the stadium, I am accompanied by a friend who describes the actions of the game to me. I admit that the atmosphere in the stadium remains a great moment.”

Damien, SC Bastia supporter

“Since 2013, I haven’t missed a single Braille guide. I order the editions of the two Leagues which allow me to have knowledge of the calendars and the composition of the teams on the same medium. Supporter of FC Nantes, I sometimes go to the stadium. Most of the time I listen to the radio. The journalists really make me live the match!”

Frédéric, FC Nantes supporter

“Visually impaired, I consult the content of the guide online at handicapzero.org just like the live section for the results, I also have a rather accessible app with vocalization on my smartphone. I have just learned that the TFC has been offering audio description at the stadium since its return to Ligue 1. I will go and test it. I usually listen to the meetings on the radio. Journalists passionately describe the game actions.”

Laurent, Toulouse FC supporter

“This guide is important to me and very useful so that I can follow the championship. It is well detailed and allows me to be involved. This season, I have already gone to see matches at the Parc des Princes without audio description. It was great for the atmosphere, a feeling found when I listen to PSG matches on the radio.”

Solaine, Paris Saint-Germain supporter

“I’m a loyal supporter of both guides, even if I support Stade Rennais. I find a lot of info there on other teams, on players I know less. Information that is useful for me to talk about football with sighted friends. I often watch matches on TV with a sighted friend who describes to me the position of certain players, the color of their shirt! For me, the energy deployed by the commentators sets the tone and the perception I have of the match. It changes everything.”

David, Stade Rennais FC supporter

“I download the audio guide to Ligue 1 from the site handicapzero.org. I follow the entire championship while supporting OM! I hope to attend a meeting at the Vélodrome in audio description this season, in the meantime I listen to the matches thanks to an influencer whose comments are very lively.”

Pascal, Olympique de Marseille supporter

“As I am a Guingamp supporter, I appreciate that the guide is also offered for Ligue 2, which is often less publicized, information is more difficult to find. There is no audio description at the Guingamp stadium but I go there mainly for the atmosphere in the Kop with the supporters. For comments, when I’m not at the stadium I listen to the radio.”

Riowen, En Avant Guingamp supporter

The publication of these two guides is part of the dynamic undertaken towards people with disabilities. In order to improve the accessibility of sports venues, the LFP, in collaboration with the FFF and the French Federation of Disabled Football Supporters (FFSFH), joined the Erasmus+ project “Good Governance Needs Access and Inclusion” in February 2021.

This program led by CAFE (Centre for Access to Football in Europe) brings together their Belgian and German counterparts (national federations, professional leagues and associations of supporters with disabilities), as well as the Portuguese University ENSILIS.

The first stage of the project resulted in the launch of a major survey of Belgian, French and German supporters with disabilities. The objective of this survey, conducted in November 2021, was to provide an in-depth understanding of the current state of accessible and inclusive services in the stadiums of each country and the different barriers encountered in these areas.

These results have enabled the LFP to establish a long-term strategy and identify the priority actions that must be put in place to improve accessibility and inclusion within Ligue 1 Uber Eats and Ligue 2 BKT competitions.

Five major priorities have been identified to make French professional football more accessible:

• Make ticketing more accessible
• Give better access to information
•  Facilitate access and entry to the stadium
•  Improve the accessibility of services
• Ensure an inclusive experience

Many actions have been proposed for each of these areas. This national action plan was presented to CAFE and ENSILIS at the end of May in London by the FFF, the FFSFH and the LFP; it will be shared with German and Belgian partners in mid-October during a workshop in Lisbon.

It will then be a question of sharing this national plan with all the Disability referents of the professional football clubs and the FFF (or DAO – Disability Access Officer according to the UEFA term). The sharing of best practices identified in Europe thanks to the Erasmus+ programme, in particular on the ticketing aspect for example, will make it possible to provide recommendations that are applicable and achievable by all.

A second survey will be launched in November 2023, a year later, to measure the impact of the strategy and the close collaboration between federations, leagues and their associations of disabled supporters. This will make it possible to compare the situations and to evaluate the improvement.

Workshops will also be organized in each of the three countries to identify and share best practices at European level on the various themes. The first was held on September 22 at the Stade de France.

This Erasmus+ project will act as a pilot and will set up an action plan and a range of support tools for other national associations, leagues and groups of supporters with disabilities throughout Europe and beyond, in order to apply similar measures in their countries.