Lebenshilfe campaign

A completely different offensive: inclusion in soccer

A group from Lebenshilfe visited the Blaue Elf Linz.(Bild: Bezirksrundschau)

While Oedt and Voitsberg are the strongest offensive teams in the OÖ-Liga and Regionalliga Mitte respectively, Lebenshilfe Oberösterreich wants to promote inclusion in soccer and help people with disabilities gain more visibility. 

After 26 rounds, Upper Austrian league champions Oedt have scored an incredible 39 goals more than second-placed Dietach, while Voitsberg is the club with the best offense in the regional league with 71 goals A completely different offensive has now been launched by Lebenshilfe OÖ together with the OÖFV. In order to promote inclusion with society and help people with disabilities gain more visibility, handicapped people will be attending soccer matches throughout Upper Austria in May and June.

New fans for the Blue Eleven
"The campaign kicked off at the Blaue Elf in Linz, which went really well. Two are now fans and have been invited by the club to come to every game," says Lebenshilfe President Stefan Hutter, who knows that there are exemplary clubs in the Bundesliga, such as Blau-Weiß (Special Needs Team), and in the lower division with SK Altheim and ASKÖ Ebelsberg, where inclusion is practiced.

Christian Hattinger is now one of them in Gschwandt.(Bild: zVg)

"Leading by example"
In Christian Hattinger, Gschwandt also has a disabled fan who enriches the entire club. "We want to set an example and encourage other people," says chairman Michael Uhl. Regional league club Vorwärts has also been working with pro mente for years, integrating people with psychosocial support needs into the club. "They play with us as normal - and that's the most important thing, everyone benefits," says press officer Sabrina Waldbauer.