Volkswagen and DFB at SPOBIS
Photo credit: Volkswagen AG
Inclusion, diversity, and football were the three major topics discussed at the SPOBIS Conference in Hamburg. Volkswagen and the German Football Association (DFB) organized a specially tailored to the 21 DFB regional associations for the largest sports business congress in Europe. DFB Vice President Ralph-Uwe Schaffert, HSV President Marcell Jansen, Sandra Waidelich, Head of Marketing & Sales Experience at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, and record-breaking international Blind Football Team Alexander Fangmann were speakers at the “Inclusion of Football” workshop.
Inga Grabow delivered one of the most memorable statements of the day at the Congress Centre Hamburg (CCH) in Hall 6: “Everyone can’t do something. That’s why we’re all the same.” Alongside her husband Marcel Grabow, she volunteers to organize and train teams at the Ibbenbürener Kickers, an inclusive football club. Established four years ago, the club prides itself on inclusivity, welcoming individuals of all ages, genders, talents, and backgrounds, with or without disabilities, fostering colorful mixed teams. “For us, it’s about the experience, not the result,” remarked Grabow, encapsulating the essence of inclusive football to the representatives of the 21 DFB regional associations present.
DFB Vice President Schaffert emphasized the importance of promoting visibility for inclusive football in his keynote speech on the opportunities and benefits of inclusion in organized football. Schaffert stressed the significance of adopting a potential-oriented perspective rather than a deficit-oriented one, highlighting the capabilities of individuals with disabilities within sports. Schaffert also chairs the Sepp Herberger Foundation, which works within the DFB to promote and organize handicap football in Germany, providing a platform for wheelchair, deaf, and blind footballers, as well as sheltered workshop and amputee players.
The Foundation’s initiatives, including the annual Football Inclusion Days and the German Football League for the Blind, aim to integrate handicap football into organized sports. Schaffert announced plans to leverage the UEFA EURO 2024 for handicap football, proposing “inclusion days light” in all host cities to broaden its audience. HSV President Jansen acknowledged the potential of professional football to enhance visibility in inclusive football during the panel discussion. He suggested that Bundesliga clubs could further promote inclusion, emphasizing the need for genuine commitment rather than using it as a marketing tool. Jansen cited HSV’s initiatives, including offering amputee football since 2021 and incorporating a match day in the West Curve Championship for HSV fans.
Volkswagen is committed to supporting football in all its diversity, launched communication campaigns like the social media series #einfußball, showcasing Türkiyemspor Berlin 1978. Sandra Waidelich emphasized Volkswagen’s social stance and commitment to inclusivity, regardless of individuals’ backgrounds.
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