SFA apologises for ad board blunder 'seriously restricting' disabled fans' view
The chief executive of the Scottish Football Association (SFA) has apologised to disabled fans whose views of Germany’s 3-2 rout of Scotland was obscured by advertising boards around the perimeter of the pitch.
The European Championship qualification fixture, which saw Germany defeat the Scottish national team 3-2 at Hampden, proved to be a sell-out, however disabled fans in the South End took to Twitter to complain they could not see the proceedings as a result of newly erected electronic ad boards.
A tweet from the BBC’s Mark Daly brought the gaffe to a head.
Wheelchairs at Hampden afforded 2nd class citizen status tonight thanks to ad hoarding. Nice one SFA. pic.twitter.com/iKQlMadF6Y
— Mark Daly (@BBCMarkDaly) September 7, 2015
Twitter users were critical of the football body.
@DavidBrockett @AGMcKillop @ScottishFA Feel sorry for you. The SFA's greed for more Ad cash blinds them to the needs of fans. Shameful — Kevin (@Spartacus1965) September 7, 2015
The @SFA_Supporters think this view is acceptable for its disabled supporters pic.twitter.com/YeeHcXNUD7
— David Dunlop (@dunlop_1970) September 7, 2015
A statement on the SFA website read: "The Scottish FA apologises unreservedly to those supporters accommodated in the South Stand accessible areas whose view was seriously restricted by the double television production.
"We will offer a full refund to those supporters affected and will review matters ahead of the European Qualifier against Poland next month."
SFA chief executive Stewart Regan also tweeted that the incident was "unacceptable".
@Mulser it was totally unacceptable. We will be contacting all those affected to apologise and make amends.
— Stewart Regan (@StewartMRegan) September 8, 2015
@BBCMarkDaly Mark, agree this is unacceptable. We rectified last night as soon as poss & will be in touch with those affected to make amends — Stewart Regan (@StewartMRegan) September 8, 2015