Disability Discrimination Act

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Part III) places obligations on service providers, and potentially sports clubs, to end discrimination against disabled people. The fundamental purpose is that disabled people should not be treated less favourably because of their disability. The key requirements have been phased-in at three key dates:

• December 1996 - it has been unlawful for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably for a reason related to their disability
• October 1999 - service providers have had to make 'reasonable adjustments' for disabled people, such as providing extra help or making changes to the way they provide their services
• October 2004 - service providers may have to make other 'reasonable adjustments' to overcome physical barriers to access.

The goods and services provisions of the Act do not apply to private clubs where "membership is a condition of participation and members of the committee have to comply with a genuine process of selection". However CCPR has been advised that this is unlikely to cover the majority of voluntary sports clubs, and legally it may be difficult for a club to prove that it is not providing a service within the meaning of the Act.

The contents of these pages are intended as a basic guide, and do not negate the need for professional legal advice as necessary.