Kathryn Albany-Ward (Colour Blind Awareness) presents the Impact of Colour Blindness on Sport
Kathryn Albany-Ward, Founder and CEO at Colour Blind Awareness, EFDN’s TACBIS partner, is the next confirmed speaker at our 16th EFDN Conference in Breda on 9 & 10 November 2021.
Kathryn Albany-Ward founded Colour Blind Awareness in 2009 following a shock discovery that her son was colour blind because he was unable to tell which players were in his football team at school. After he was unable to follow a Champions League game on TV as a teenager, Kathryn was introduced to UEFA and since 2015 has been their advisor on colour blindness. She also advises the English FA, the Premier League and other football industry stakeholders on the impact of colour blindness. Kathryn was instrumental in creating the first Guidance Notes on Colour Blindness in Football, the Annex on colour blindness in the latest edition of the Sports Ground Safety Authority’s ‘Green Guide’ and World Rugby’s recently published guidance on colour blindness in rugby.
This session on the impact of colour blindness on sport will provide an introduction to colour blindness and why it is important for all stakeholders in football to be aware of the impact it can have on every aspect of the game. Colour blindness is a very common, inherited condition which affects the ability 8% of men to tell many different colour combinations apart. The presentation will consider problems for players and fans, such as distinguishing between kits or seeing equipment, for example the ball or training cones against the pitch. The commercial implications for ticketing, merchandising and sponsorship and the safety and security risks for venue operators will also be considered. The conclusion will offer some practical solutions.
