Boost for disability footballers
Monday 20 April 2009
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Jeff Davis addresses the recent UEFA Grassroots Workshop in Hamburg. (©sportsfile)
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"No matter your ability or disability, you should have the chance to play football" – that was the message from Jeff Davis, national development manager of the Football Association (FA), at the recent UEFA Grassroots Workshop in Hamburg.
'Football for all'
Davis gave a presentation entitled "Disability participation – football for all", looking at how national associations can earn a second star in this specific area of the game under the UEFA Grassroots Charter. To attain that, associations have to show evidence of social programmes, one of which is disability programmes. "There are a number of federations who haven't applied for this star but could receive it," Davis explained. "There are several reasons for this, including the fact that national federations do not organise the disability activity themselves, they are not aware of activity and organisations within their country who deliver disability activity. A number of associations did not originally mainstream disability provision but have gained that additional star by working with partners."
Scottish example
Stuart Sharp, disability football manager at the Scottish Football Association, then gave the workshop a look at the disability programme within his country, again emphasising the opportunities for federations to work in partnership with disability organisations. "Our key targets are no different from the mainstream," he explained. "To increase opportunity, develop a programme of training and competition, develop a pathway to the highest level, raise the standard of football disability coaching and raise the profile of disability football. We can create opportunities for players with disabilities – and make sure they're the correct opportunities, without fear."
'Shoot for the stars'
Davis then briefly looked at the disability programmes in the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands, before using a series of statistics to illustrate the success of the FA's disability programme. Participation has increased by 200 per cent since 2004, with 34,000 people involved in playing in 2007, 270 disability football clubs, nine regional leagues and £1.5m (approximately €1.68m) invested since 2004. "Twenty per cent of Europe's population has a disability," said Davis. "In England, we have a lot of funding but to have the desire to work with disabled people costs nothing at all. We have to shoot for the stars, because if we don't develop football, who will do it?"
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