Leuven’s Blind Stand Makes a Comeback: Free Match Access for Visually Impaired Fans, Led by Rutten

Leuven (Eurotoday): Blind and partially sighted fans attended a match in Leuven for free, aiming to enhance stadium accessibility, according to community manager Rutten. Commentators Tom Devriendt and Guy Volders provided engaging commentary, despite the match ending in a goalless draw.

The blind stand is back in Leuven after a trial in 2022. The club wants to make the stadium more accessible for everyone, according to community manager Rutten. Blind and partially sighted fans can watch the match for free on 25 November. Rutten said they will get feedback from these fans.

How did commentators Tom Devriendt and Guy Volders engage blind fans during the match? 

The match ended in a draw, with no goals in the second half. Commentators Tom Devriendt and Guy Volders worked hard to keep it interesting for blind and partially sighted fans. Volders, who usually comment for blank” rel=”noopener”>KRC Genk, said they want to make the game fun, even if it’s not exciting. He has been helping these fans for over 15 years and finds it challenging to describe everything he sees. Volders shared that he hasn’t had formal training but uses his football experience to learn on the job.

According to Tom Devriendt, one of the commentators, it’s important to know the players and their styles. This helps them explain how the players move during the game. During the match, one commentator talks about the action, and when a goal happens, the other one describes it in detail. Fans like Rudy enjoyed the game, saying, “It wasn’t super exciting, but the commentators made it interesting and told us the important parts.”