Manchester United’s Fans’ Forum was recently informed about the ‘widespread misuse’ of disabled tickets allocated for away matches by a group of supporters posing as disabled fans. These alleged incidents involve able-bodied fans pretending to be disabled in order to access away matches. This issue was discussed at a recent Fans’ Forum, with the club’s Director of Supporter Services, Sam Kelleher, addressing the topic. The misuse of disabled tickets was highlighted as a significant concern, with multiple complaints and reports of non-disabled supporters using wheelchairs to gain entry to matches after unofficially purchasing tickets.
The club has dedicated wheelchair spaces for each away fixture, with a limited number of tickets available for disabled fans. Despite this, there have been instances of non-disabled fans obtaining these tickets and using them to gain entry to matches. Secretary of the Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association, Chas Banks, passionately highlighted the impact of this behavior on deserving disabled fans who are being unjustly denied tickets. Banks described the situation as a ‘victimless crime’ and emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue, especially for fans who may not have much time left to attend matches.
The misuse of disabled tickets has led to the implementation of changes in ticket collection procedures for disabled fans. The club has shifted to a process of photo identification-based ticket collection to prevent fraudulent behavior and ensure that tickets are allocated to the correct recipients. Instead of sending tickets by post, fans are now required to collect their tickets in person and provide photo ID as a form of verification. This change is intended to safeguard against the misuse of disabled tickets and ensure that deserving fans are able to attend matches without any interference.
The severity of the issue was further underscored by Banks, who expressed disappointment over the impact on disabled fans who are being unfairly deprived of their rightful opportunity to attend matches. He described the actions of those misusing disabled tickets as ‘selfish weapons’ and urged the club to take stringent measures against offenders. The club and disabled supporters’ association are working together to address these incidents and prevent future occurrences of ticket misuse. By implementing stricter verification protocols and monitoring ticket allocation, they aim to ensure that tickets are rightfully distributed to disabled fans.
The allegations of ticket misuse have prompted a renewed focus on maintaining the integrity of ticket allocations and safeguarding the rights of disabled fans. The club is committed to identifying and penalizing individuals who engage in fraudulent behavior to access matches. Through the collaboration between the club and disabled supporters’ association, a system of enhanced ticket verification and collection procedures has been put in place to prevent further incidents of ticket misuse. By prioritizing the needs of disabled fans and addressing these issues head-on, Manchester United seeks to create a fair and inclusive environment for all supporters to enjoy matches responsibly.
