UP to 100,000 colour blind fans were left furious on Sunday after Chelsea wore their light blue away kit at Sheffield United, making the match almost impossible to watch.
For the fifth time this season, colour blind Premier League supporters were barely able to distinguish between the sides due to the bizarre choice of jersey.
Fans suffering from colour blindness struggled to distinguish between Chelsea’s light blue kit and Sheff Utd’s predominantly white shirtsCredit: Alamy Live News
Chelsea wore their light blue away kit to take on the Blades in their predominantly white strip in Sky Sports’ live showdown.
But fans were left perplexed, believing the West Londoners’ home strip – a much deeper shade of blue – would have been less of a clash.
Opting for the almost-white away jerseys made life tough for those who suffer from colour blindness.
The Colour Blind Awareness charity predicted around 100,000 viewers for the game – a 2-1 win for Chelsea – would have suffered from colour blindness.
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And fans took to Twitter in their droves to complain.
One wrote: “I turned it on, saw 20 matching shirts and simply turned it off again.
“I wonder where I could inquire to get some refunds for streaming expenses, since they are actively making it impossible to watch what I pay for.”
Another said: “Someone with a bigger brain has got to explain how this is easier to see than Chelsea playing in their home BLUE kit?”
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Fans believed Chelsea would have been much better off wearing their home strip – a deeper shade of blueCredit: Alamy Live News
A third sarcastically added: “Well done Chelsea. You really needed your almost white away kit for this fixture.
“The traditional blue would obviously have clashed with the mostly white shirts of Sheffield United.”
Another viewer even called it ‘blatant discrimination’, tweeting: “It’s been happening all season.
“So many kit clashes and absolutely nothing gets done about it, it’s utterly shameful.
“People think colour blindness is a trivial issue. It’s not.
“These kit clashes are ENTIRELY AVOIDABLE, that’s the worst part of it. Blatant Discrimination!!’
It is the fifth time alone a Premier League clash has thrown up a colour-blindness issue, with Liverpool and Manchester United both featuring twice.
The game between the two rivals at Anfield last month was the most-watched Premier League game in history amongst Brits.
But of the five million who tuned in, a predicted 300,000 of those struggled to distinguish between the two sides.
Colour blind fans also struggled in Man Utd’s trip to Liverpool last monthCredit: AFP or licensors
Liverpool wore their red home strip, while Man Utd wore their ‘earth green’ alternate colours.
Reds and greens – particularly in similar shades – are almost impossible to distinguish between for those suffering from colour blindness.
That meant the red of Liverpool’s socks merged with the green of the grass, while the deep shade of green in United’s strip also clashed with that of the grass and the home side’s red.
The Premier League has developed a ‘colour blind friendly flag’ to help clubs pick the colours best-suited to all viewers.
However, the final say lies with the club.
And Colour Blindness Awareness spokesperson Kathryn Albany-Ward lashed out at the Premier League for their failure to act.
Albany-Ward said: “They know about this issue. They know it’s disability discrimination and they are not doing enough about it.”
Southampton vs Man Utd, Sheff Utd vs Southampton and Liverpool vs Crystal Palace have also been criticised for their lack of empathy to those suffering from colour blindness.
Around one in 12 men suffer from colour blindness, with the disability affecting roughly one in 200 women.
Thomas Tuchel reacts to Chelsea’s victory against Sheffield United
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
