The 13th edition of the Ray Kennedy Weekend, an international football tournament for people with Parkinson’s, will take place in Moss in Norway in September – and it’s not too late for teams to enter!
The event will take place from 7-8 September, with social events for participants on 6 and 7 September. On the Saturday, there will be traditional ‘running’ football matches with teams of seven players, while the Sunday will feature walking football only, with six players in each team.
One of the organisers is Terje Jensen, who will also play for the Norway team in the tournament. He says: “It’s for people with Parkinson’s, and it’s organised by people who have Parkinson’s. It’s a good way for us to share our knowledge and experiences with other people with Parkinson’s from other countries.”
“I was part of this for the first time last year and it was really great. I play as a defender. Our team came in second place – but this year we’re aiming for first place!”
The matches will be refereed by professionals from the Norwegian Football Association, which is also helping to organise the tournament.
There are also plans to hold an ‘all-stars’ game on the Sunday, where a team of famous Norwegian football players will play against the best players from the tournament.
Currently, around 10 football teams from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Wales and the Basque Country are taking part.
“There are both single-sex and mixed teams taking part – we really want to encourage more women to play football,” says Terje.
The Ray Kennedy Cup was set up by Danish physiotherapist Finn Egeberg Nielsen and Eigil Sabroe in memory of the English football player Ray Kennedy, to support physical activity, wellbeing and networking among people with Parkinson’s. Kennedy played for Arsenal and Liverpool football clubs, but his career was cut short when he was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s in 1984 at the age of 32. He died on 30 November 2021, at the age of 70.
The deadline for teams to compete in the Ray Kennedy Weekend is 31 May, although late entries will also be considered. Teams will need to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements, and players’ families are also welcome.
To find out more, email Terje Jensen or contact the organisers through their Facebook group, Ray Kennedy Weekend Norway.
