Real Betis 2-1 Real Valladolid: La Liga hosts 'most inclusive game in the world'

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Real Betis fans before their La Liga match against Real ValladolidImage source, Real Betis
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Real Betis said a record 1,740 fans with a disability attended their home game against Real Valladolid

Players and fans of Real Betis hope football will become more accessible for disabled fans following what they called "the most inclusive game in the world".

The La Liga game between Real Betis and Real Valladolid on Saturday, which Betis won 2-1, featured several adaptations to make it more accessible for people with disabilities.

They included Betis players wearing custom-made kits with the names and numbers in Braille when they walked out before kick-off.

Betis players wore bibs in the warm-up with symbols to help fans with colour blindness, and at half-time there was a demonstration match featuring a team of amputee footballers.

Children with special needs acted as mascots before the game, while the Betis official team anthem was also shown in sign language on the giant screen at Estadio Benito Villamarin.

"I've spoken to disabled fans on social media, I see them asking for help and needing a voice," Betis defender Martin Montoya told BBC Sport.

Alejandro Coello, a Real Betis fan with an intellectual disability, said he now feels like the "king of the world" when wearing his club's colours because of the initiative.

Coello feels clubs can do more to make disabled fans feel welcome and thinks the events set up by Betis for the Valladolid game should be done more regularly in Spain and further afield.

Coello, who also plays for the club in the La Liga Genuine, a competition for players with learning difficulties, said he often sees fans with more serious disabilities who struggle.

"I feel part of the club, there is a brotherhood. I feel lucky as a fan and as a disabled person," he told BBC Sport. "It would be perfect if this inspired other clubs to do the same.

"When I play for Betis [Genuine] I feel like the king of the world, I love to wear the shirt. It is also great to meet other fans like me.

"I hope people will now see us as normal persons, we are all humans and all Betis fans."

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Montoya, a former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Brighton player, said he and his team-mates were proud of the club for showing their support for disabled fans.

"We have a huge platform in football for this kind of action. We are one of the few clubs in the world to do this kind of initiative," he said.

"Other clubs around the world - England, Italy - they should think of this initiative and copy it, and be more responsible for disabled persons.

"They are huge fans and the team wants to help and support them.

"The players feel inspired by this - when I played for Brighton, we visited facilities for disabled fans, and I want people to learn about what they need for accessibility."

The initiative, organised by Betis and World Football Summit, also saw the club beat the record for the highest number of disabled fans at a domestic top-flight match with 1,740 in attendance.

The record was previously set during a game in Poland, external in 2015, between Slask Wroclaw and Lechia Gdansk, when 1,005 disabled supporters attended the fixture.

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