Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National

Father and son get agreement from AFL and MCC to keep all wheelchair bays accessible

Darren Cunningham and James Williams pictured in the spot they had hoped to sit in a week ago, which broadcasters were using.  (Supplied)

The AFL has promised to keep all wheelchair bays available at the MCG and other stadiums following the advocacy of a father and son, who struggled to find seating at a footy match. 

Darren Cunningham and James Williams attended a round one match at the MCG between Richmond and Carlton last week and went to the Olympic Stand on level four with general admission tickets.

They expected to sit in a designated wheelchair zone just behind their booked seats — a regular strategy of theirs to avoid the booking system for wheelchair users, which they find difficult to navigate.

Instead, the avid Carlton supporters found Fox Footy and 7Sport TV commentary panels were set up there, covering many of the wheelchair bays. 

Darren Cunningham and son James Williams a week ago at the round one match where they found broadcasters taking up many of the Olympic Stand, level four wheelchair bays. (Supplied)

The pair moved to accessibility seating on level one but, from that position, could not see the action on the ground. 

Frustrated, father and son took to Twitter, saying the TV networks should not be allowed to take up designated wheelchair zones. 

The pair's view of the ground from the wheelchair access area at the MCG, level one.  (ABC News: Supplied)

MCG staff approached them soon after and offered better seating back on level four, close to where they had originally intended to sit. 

While Mr Cunningham and Mr Williams were happy with their seating in the end, they maintained that the principle of TV networks being permitted to use wheelchair zones was wrong.

It was like able-bodied drivers parking in wheelchair access parking spots, Mr Cunningham said.

A week after the round one match, the AFL met with Mr Cunningham and Mr Williams.

Mr Cunningham described the meeting as "honest" and "positive". 

"We managed to reach an agreement that the AFL would stop the broadcasters from using the disabled bays at the MCG, but also that they would stop using those bays at all of their grounds around Australia," he said.

"We're really happy that we finally got to a good outcome."

Mr Cunningham and his son also met with the Melbourne Cricket Club, which operates the MCG, which gave an undertaking not to permit broadcasters to use the wheelchair bays for footy or other events, such as the cricket.

"The great result after today is that disabled people are going to have access to more bays as they always should have had," Mr Cunningham said.

"We can say it's fully the people's ground, including disabled people."

Darren Cunningham and James Williams were invited by Carlton to be part of the guard of honour for Thursday night's match.  (Supplied)

AFL corporate affairs head Jay Allen confirmed the outcome of the meeting.

"We had a productive meeting at AFL House [on Thursday] and, going forward, we have committed to finding a solution for our broadcaster partners that does not include any accessible seating at any venue," he said. 

An MCC spokesperson said the organisation would take care to keep wheelchair bays free at all types of events.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.