UEFA marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Sunday, December 3, 2023
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Launch of new OUTRAGED disability module supports aims to ensure the game is accessible to everyone.
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On 3 December each year, UEFA commemorates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
As one of 11 focus areas in our Football Sustainability Strategy 2030, UEFA wants to ensure that the football environment and its infrastructure are accessible to everyone who wants to take part, welcoming people of all abilities.
Launch of OUTRAGED Disability module
Disability should not limit the access to or participation in football, but many times it does, based on lacking accessibility and lacking understanding or respect by non-disabled individuals.
Disability hate and discrimination has no place in football, we must all play a part in ensuring that no one faces barriers or discrimination within the game.
On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we are pleased to launch an additional module to the OUTRAGED educational toolkit, focusing on disability. The module is based on the sixth episode of the OUTRAGED series, launched at the UEFA RESPECT Forum in June 2023.
This episode has been developed with support from the Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE), UEFA’s partner on disability and accessibility, which harnesses the power of sport to act as a catalyst for disability-inclusive change.
The first OUTRAGED documentary was launched in December 2020 with the aim of showcasing the experiences of some of the biggest names in football and sharing their thoughts on the best way to help eradicate issues of discrimination from the sport. The OUTRAGED series is being leveraged as a key tool in UEFA’s efforts towards education in relation to anti-discrimination, equality and inclusion.
"Discrimination should have no place in football, and while we work to identify, report and remedy incidents, we are focusing even more on the preventive aspect. We must strive towards a football environment where everyone understands the impact that discrimination has on the sport, and the individuals who fall victim to this. Equality and inclusion should be a natural part of all football activities, and everyone should feel that they can enjoy the sport on a basis of respect."
Other UEFA initiatives
UEFA also works on making all national team matches across Europe fully accessible for disabled fans, by encouraging its members to appoint a designated Disability Access Officer (DAO). Thirty-two national associations already follow this recommendation.
Another UEFA objective is breaking down barriers to gainful employment and volunteering for people with disabilities. A concrete example is the EURO 2024 Volunteer Programme, which offers the possibility to pair intellectually disabled people who require assistance to participate with non-disabled partners.
Our partners
We encourage people with disabilities to participate in all areas of football, not least on the pitch. UEFA therefore helps promote playing opportunities at grassroots and national team level, with support from our valued long-standing partners:
EAFF – European Amputee Football Federation
EPFA - European Powerchair Football Association
IBSA – International Blind Sport Association
IFCPF – International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football
SOEE – Special Olympics Europe Eurasia