Watching the match...

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Inland-Revenue Man

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I have just got back from watching my football team (Wolverhampton Wanderers) play away at Bristol City qnd have to say I was disapointed with what took place.

Before entering the ground, I was searched by a steward who objected to my needle in my pocket (I always carry my meter and needle with me, whether in the pub, at the match or wherever) He objected in the strongest possible terms to me bringing it in, saying I would have to give up my needle if I wanted to enter the ground! The senior steward backed his colleague, saying I would have to give up my novorapid pen.

Thankfully, I got into the ground when a police officer nearby stated that I should be allowed in with the needle as it was a medical implement. To be fair I did recieve an appology from the stewards involved, but this is not the first time this has happened (In the past this has happened at Birmingham City, Milwall, QPR and Oxford as well as a number of concerts that I have attended)

Whilst I can understand that not all have an indepth understanding of diabetes and security at these events is a priorty (i.e. a reluctance to let sharp objects into the ground) I am still angered when this takes place.

I take it we have all experienced this at some point in the past?
 
Hiya, I am really really sorry to hear that this has happened to you. It's pretty awful. Personally I think that the security staff should be trained regarding the matter because it is a medication that diabetics do really need. Personally I have been searched before going into night clubs and gigs and never experienced any hassle. I have also never experienced any hassle at the airport - which did really surprise me and I was fully prepared with my consultants letter and everything. I feel really really lucky to have been treated the way I was now and mad that you haven't been treated the same. The kind of understanding that I have receieved in the past is something that all diabetics should be able to take for granted in my opinion.
Best wishes and hope this does not happen to you again - eyeko
 
This has never happened to me so far (thank goodness because I would probably cry, im really emotional). Everyone knows that diabetics use needles, and most know they look like a pen. It says insulin on the cartridge. I think it's terrible that they could be so insensitive!
 
I know for certain that I'd cry if it happened to me to be honest. I'm an emotional girly girl lol.
 
This has never happened to me, but when I take my stuff the Novorapid looks like a pen and has never attracted any attention and I keep just a couple of the needles in my pocket. I'm surprised a steward even noticed.
 
Normally security guards specifically ask you if you have anything that could harm them or anything inside the property they are guarding. For example, I visited Natural History Museum in London last weekend. The guard asked if I was carrying a knife or scissors. However, they did not look in my pockets, just the main section of my small rucksack. As I had checked on the website before travelling, I had left my penknife at home, but it would have been in my trousers. If they had asked if I was carrying anything sharp, I would have declared my pen device and lancets - they wouldn't have realised what my pencil case actually contained. If they had asked if I was carrying any electrical equipment or batteries, I would have declared my bike lights (bike left at home railway station, but it would be dark by the time I got back) and mobile phone.

As an aside, when visiting museums in London as a child in 1970s, Mum's Ever Ready 4.5volt hand torch was always noticed, as it was the type favoured by IRA for detonators, but it was also daft not have a torch to hand when living in rural Worcestershire - the guards were always happy once they saw it worked as a torch.
 
Inland-Revenue Man said:
I have just got back from watching my football team (Wolverhampton Wanderers) play away at Bristol City qnd have to say I was disapointed with what took place.

Before entering the ground, I was searched by a steward who objected to my needle in my pocket (I always carry my meter and needle with me, whether in the pub, at the match or wherever) He objected in the strongest possible terms to me bringing it in, saying I would have to give up my needle if I wanted to enter the ground! The senior steward backed his colleague, saying I would have to give up my novorapid pen.

Thankfully, I got into the ground when a police officer nearby stated that I should be allowed in with the needle as it was a medical implement. To be fair I did recieve an appology from the stewards involved, but this is not the first time this has happened (In the past this has happened at Birmingham City, Milwall, QPR and Oxford as well as a number of concerts that I have attended)

Whilst I can understand that not all have an indepth understanding of diabetes and security at these events is a priorty (i.e. a reluctance to let sharp objects into the ground) I am still angered when this takes place.

I take it we have all experienced this at some point in the past?
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Hiya, it seems ignorance is at work here.
Write to the Director of the club. Explain what has happened and how disapointed you were with the stewards reactions and then suggest ways to put it right. IE an educational meeting with the stewards and or the stewards being shown photo's/pictures of pens/syringes/meters. This way you have done your bit to help you and someone else in the future.
 
Sue, you're the other Wolves fan then?!

Sadly, I've grown to dislike football because of the premadonnas, but still look out for Wolves occasionally. Years back, I parked my car at the back of the Molineux for Uni.

Personally, I'm a big rugby fan. I watch out for Worcester, and occasionally still play for a vets team (loose head prop). Unfortunately, the last game I played, I fractured and dislocated my jaw, had a crush injury to my neck and back... in one tackle. Incredibly I finished the game with my injury after putting my jaw back in place myself!

As for being stopped by the stewards, they're obviously pig ignorant and thick, but it would be a very good idea to write a sensibly worded letter to the PR team so that this doesn't happen again. You may get a few free tickets to a couple of games!
 
Inland-Revenue Man said:
I have just got back from watching my football team (Wolverhampton Wanderers) play away at Bristol City qnd have to say I was disapointed with what took place.

Before entering the ground, I was searched by a steward who objected to my needle in my pocket (I always carry my meter and needle with me, whether in the pub, at the match or wherever) He objected in the strongest possible terms to me bringing it in, saying I would have to give up my needle if I wanted to enter the ground! The senior steward backed his colleague, saying I would have to give up my novorapid pen.

Thankfully, I got into the ground when a police officer nearby stated that I should be allowed in with the needle as it was a medical implement. To be fair I did recieve an appology from the stewards involved, but this is not the first time this has happened (In the past this has happened at Birmingham City, Milwall, QPR and Oxford as well as a number of concerts that I have attended)

Whilst I can understand that not all have an indepth understanding of diabetes and security at these events is a priorty (i.e. a reluctance to let sharp objects into the ground) I am still angered when this takes place.

I take it we have all experienced this at some point in the past?
Click to expand...

Hi
I went to Millwall just before christmas & they didn't ask me! Saying that my son was a Millwall Mascot & we went in through the VIP entrance so maybe thats why! maybe next time I go I will take my Dr's letter I take to the airport when I fly. Forwarned is forarmed as they say!

Debsx
 
Type1_Sue said:
Says very quietly "who the heck are Wolves?":D
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That's what most people say! 🙂

I have just sent the following email:

From : waterlooroader@yahoo.co.uk
To : enquiries@bcfc.co.uk
re : Issues at BCFC v WWFC 17/01/09

Dear sirs, I write as a visiting Wolves fan that has attended fixtures at Ashton Gate four times in the past. Whilst I am keen to point out that I have enjoyed each visit and regard Bristol City as one of my favourite away grounds, I am saddened to report that yesterday I was disapointed with the attitude of two of your stewards.

Upon approaching the visitors turnstiles, I was requested to stop and be searched by one of the stewards in question. As I am a Type 1 diabetic, I always have an insulin syringe in my pocket, which I produced before being searched and informed the steward that I was a diabetic and this was why I was in possesion of this object.

However at this point I was told that I would have to give up my syringe if I wanted to enter the ground, to which I responded that I was unwilling to do this as it was a medical implement. The steward in question then called for a more senior steward, who backed his colleague in refusing me entrance to the ground. Thankfully a Police Officer who was close by over-ruled the two stewards and stated that I should be allowed in.

Whilst I am not complaining about the way the stewards went about their work (Neither steward was aggresive and neither used abusive language (I also did not use abusive language, even though I was quite put out by their refusal) and I did recieve an appology from both stewards when they realised my situation, the fact remains that had the Police Officer not over ruled the stewards, I would have been locked out of the ground or been forced to give up my syringe.

As I have said, I do not wish to be overly critical of the stewards envolved or BCFC because I did recieve an appology and this has happened at other grounds in the past, but could I please request that stewards at Ashton Gate are made aware of the fact that many Diabetics attending matches will be in possesion of sharp objects, not as a means of causing violence, but for genine medical reasons.

I look forward to your response,

Chris Stallard
 
Milwall are probably glad of anybody turning up! Just joking!
 
I don't see why we as diabetics should be discriminated against for carrying anything sharp as it is for a genuine medical reason.

I'm on tablets and when I have to carry them, I take them in the box with the labels from the pharmacists. I have been stopped a few times by drugs dogs doing their jobs at various stations. It is a pain but when it is seen I have pills for a genuine reason, I am allowed to carry on.

There are people who have drugs and sharp implements for the wrong reasons. It is a sad state of affairs when it reflects on those of us who have these things for no other reason than we want to keep healthy and not inconvinience others.

I agree that people like football ground stewards, and any one else doing security checks need more training to recognise things needed for medical reasons and the things that aren't.

My GP is not too givish, and always seems reluctantt to give letters to say this is why you need certain things, I have lost count of the number of times he has said I need to rest after an illness but then refused a certificate for me to have more time off work!
 
I've never expereinced it actually, I've not been to football recently, but been to oxford, spurs and portsmouth and didn't have any problems. Or had any problems at concerts. I did have to tell the security at national history museum that i had insulin needles. was quite funny as was there with my patner and partners parents- who are both type 2's on insulin, so we all declared our needles.

I can see that they might be more wary about syringes, but pen needles can hardly be seeen as weapons.
 
sofaraway said:
...I can see that they might be more wary about syringes, but pen needles can hardly be seeen as weapons.
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Indeed - they're specifically designed to make as little impact on the human body as possible, thank goodness!🙂 Not sure I would have coped with the old syringe needles. Have been reading an account recently of how someone's father had to grind the deposits off the needles after boiling them in a hard-water area! Eek!😱
 
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