UEFA slammed for ‘disgusting’ and ‘shambolic’ treatment of disabled Man City fans in Istanbul

Man City celebration">Manchester City fans who attended the Champions League final in Istanbul last weekend have spoken out about the 'disgusting' and 'shambolic' treatment disabled fans received at the match.

Level Playing Field, a charity that works to get the best for disabled sports fans, has shared the plight of some Manchester City supporters and penned a furious letter to UEFA demanding answers and change.

City fan Patrick Godrey attended the match at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium as a carer for his friend Barry Foy, who has used a wheelchair at football matches for the last two seasons. The duo attend every match home and away and were left distressed and in fear for their lives in Istanbul.

Patrick said: “We experienced a total disgusting 12 hours in the hands of UEFA, despite adhering to all of their requests and advice, around pre and post-match transportation from the centre of Istanbul and the return journey.

“The bus to the stadium took almost two and a half hours to do 19 kilometres and when we finally arrived, there was a dirt track leading from where the bus had pulled up halfway up the hill.

“The loose building rubble surface had not even been rolled flat. I tried pushing the wheelchair forward and the front wheels just dug into rubble, nearly causing the chair to fall forward, so the only way was for me to walk backwards dragging the chair backwards for a good 500 metres to where the supposed adapted bus was waiting to take you to the stadium entrance."

Patrick continued to tell of how he saw water bottles needed to take medication confiscated at the gate as he was told to buy new ones inside if needed and having to push Barry's wheelchair back through the rubble and 'up a hill akin to Everest' after the match.

The supporter described the organisation as 'absolute chaos' as he tried to navigate through Istanbul at night with a wheelchair.

He continued: "There was not a sign or steward in sight, and it was pitch black as I again had to drag the chair backwards. Eventually, I found a young steward telling people needing buses back to the city centre to keep walking downhill, so I set off dragging the wheelchair backwards down through rubble, dodging in and out between taxis and minibuses - literally risking our lives.

“Then we saw another person in a wheelchair tip over and onto the floor. Thankfully, he was helped back into his chair. Another lad had his front wheel buckle, then had to be wheeled backwards just on the back wheels, along with numerous others on crutches and walking sticks, all heading down the hill as instructed."

Patrick and Barry eventually found a bus but it was 4:20 am by the time they returned to their hotel.

Stephen Lane is another Manchester City fan and a wheelchair user who attended the match with his niece Mel. Stephen spoke of facing similar issues on the dirt track and confusion exiting the stadium.

He said: “After the match, shuttles were nowhere to be seen until after an hour’s wait. Other City fans waiting kindly let us get on the first shuttle as we had to get straight to the airport for a 7 am flight and the time was then 1:45 am.

“We got back to the rubble car park, which was in darkness, and joined the queue for buses to SAW airport. When we got to the front, all hell broke loose. There were no coaches waiting and everybody made a dash across the field of rubble to find some.

“Mel had to drag me backwards across, between and behind the path of buses trying to depart. By now it was 2:30 am and then I finally saw a bus destined for SAW, but it was already moving.

“I noticed the driver had his door open, so I shouted and Mel dragged me backwards at lightning speed across the car park to this coach. Thankfully the driver stopped and helped us on, but then our coach was jockeying for position with others to get onto the main road for almost three hours.

“We were incredibly lucky to make our flight, at the end of a complete shambles of a day. The preparation and organisation were none existent. The planning for disabled supporters was disgraceful. Mel and other carers deserve the highest praise for making sure we got through it safely.”

Similar horror stories were shared by wheelchair user and City fan Ellis Palmer.

He said: “Here’s a moment I never forget and is very poignant to the shambolic nature of the way things were run by UEFA. We were making our way over this dangerous gravel in the pitch black towards a free-for-all of buses and coaches back to the city and the airport with no access provision in sight.

“My mother, who was struggling to help me with my electric wheelchair through the darkness and the gravel, spotted some clearly marked “mobility marshals” and approached them calmly to ask for guidance and support. Rather than the help and guidance she was expecting from these three young blokes, she was shouted at and told to: 'Go away!'

“After 15 minutes of trudging through snaking traffic in the bus park, trying to find a bus with an accessible space on it back to Yenikapi’s fan park, on gravel that I was convinced at any moment would break my wheelchair and leave me stranded, a kindly taxi driver convinced a bus driver to lower down the ramp and let me on.

“I would urge UEFA to consider the holistic accessibility of a city (street infrastructure, surfaces in and around fan parks, and having staff dedicated and properly trained to assist disabled supporters at fan parks and stadiums) when looking at potential candidate cities for future Champions League finals.”

In a letter shared with the press, Level Playing Field addressed UEFA General Secretary Theodore Theodoridis demanding accountability for the events that transpired for disabled fans in Turkey.

The action comes 12 months after the group were one of many who demanded better from UEFA after distressing scenes in Paris before the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Level Playing Field Chair Tony Taylor wrote: "Level Playing Field would welcome the opportunity to facilitate dialogue between UEFA and disabled supporters impacted by the repeated failures at its showpiece events.

"We would encourage a transparent approach to their review process and planning of upcoming events and are willing to advise on this. Please provide meaningful action and deliver accountability for the unacceptable treatment disabled supporters have once again received."

Questions posed in the letter centre on what efforts UEFA made to improve the fan experience in Paris last year, dialogue with Manchester City supporters in the run-up to the match, the lack of stewards and an accessible criteria that UEFA use when choosing a host city for such an event.