Premier League clubs have been accused of "disgracefully" betraying their disabled fans after "it was revealed that a third are expected to renege on a collective promise" to provide the minimum recommended access for wheelchairs, according to Jeremy Wilson of the London TELEGRAPH. Despite "being secured a windfall" from TV deals over the next three years of £8.3B ($11B), some of the richest clubs in world football -- including Chelsea and Liverpool -- "appear already to have accepted that they will not meet a pledge that was made last year." Chelsea currently provides "only half" of the recommended wheelchair space at Stamford Bridge and, "despite last year's pledge, now only say they can meet minimum numbers" when it moves into a new stadium. There is "no definite timescale on building that stadium." Liverpool has just "proudly opened" a new stand but, "for all the extra hospitality space," said that the guidelines for wheelchair use "will only be met at stage two of their renovations." There is "currently no timescale" for that part of the project. Others, including Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and West Ham, "are also not now expected by campaigners to meet the pledge," while the three promoted teams have been given a special dispensation until '18 by the Premier League. Labour peer Lord Faulkner said, "The excuses being put forward by clubs as to why they will not meet this are, frankly, unacceptable." Other clubs, including Everton, Watford and ManU, remain at "less than half of the recommended number, but have renewed their pledge to get work done by next season." Stoke City also promises to meet the target while Arsenal, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland and Hull City "are already close and would need only relatively minor adjustments" (TELEGRAPH, 9/15). The BBC's Katie Gornall reported Level Playing Field Chair Joyce Cook called the delay "unacceptable." Cook: "This is a promise that they made themselves, they set their own deadline." Pressure on the Premier League "has been building," with Lord Holmes from the Equalities & Human Rights Commission "raising the threat of legal action if its clubs did not comply with the official guidance." He said, "There are clear sanctions in the equality act which Premier League clubs may find themselves on the end of" (BBC, 9/15).
