This Sunday (July 24th), all roads will lead to Leicester where many people are meeting for the LASS “Know your HIV Status” Trophy football tournament. The focus of the tournament is to kick HIV and AIDS stigma and discrimination into touch and raise awareness on HIV Testing.

The tournament will take place at the Emerald Centre on Gipsy Lane and kicks-off at 12pm. It will be an African football extravaganza and sees the following 13 teams competing:

1. BEAUMONT LEYS REFUGEE F.C.
2. LEICESTER ZIMBABWE F.C.
3. LUTON F.C.
4. ZINYOKANYOKA F.C.
5. STEVENAGE F.C.
6. SCORPIONS (GAMBIA) MILTON KEYNES
7. BOSSOLONA (BIRMINGHAM)
8. BILLIARD HILL (BIRMINGHAM)
9. YOUNG WARRIORS (COVENTRY)
10. NOTTINGHAM F.C.
11. SUPER EAGLES (NIGERIA)
12. MALAWI FLAMES (MALAWI)
13. INDOMITABLE LIONS (CAMEROON)

LASS, the Leicestershire AIDS Support Services, is an independent voluntary organisation set up in 1987 to provide a range of services for people in the City of Leicester. LASS provide services for people who are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in partnership with other agencies, working collaboratively to raise awareness about HIV and sexual health.

The LASS mobile HIV testing van will be on site for those who want to have peace of mind and know their HIV status with a free Rapid HIV test.

‘GOCHI GOCHI AFRICA’ will be selling BBQ to members of the public with beef, pork spare ribs etc. and the ‘yummy yummy Chakalaka’ chillies.

Cameroonian young men from different parts of the UK, including Birmingham, who met at a friend’s graduation dinner ere ahead of the tournament, spoke excitedly about the atmosphere that Sunday would create. They argued about whose performance will attract the biggest audience, which team will bring along the most fans and who will win the trophy.

Five of the guests at the graduation party are playing at the African tournament for different teams. During their discussion, mainly in West African Pidgin and which lasted well over two hours, they talked about HIV and AIDS and its impactm, and how many people still have very little knowledge about the disease.

One of them said it was sad that “As soon as people know that you have AIDS in our community, they will immediately run away (abandon) you.”

Another said “It is high time we turn things around; we have to do our bit.” This long discussion ended when one of them said jokingly, “Come to think of it, how many of us who are making all this noise actually know if we have it.”

The players will be able to find out this weekend whilst they enjoy a friendly yet competitive day’s football.

For more information please contact Eric Gore or Celia Fisher at LASS on 01162 559995.