SENI Cup

International Football League for Intellectually Disabled People SENI Cup 

The one, the only, the very special League in the world. 

Since 2000 the Company TZMO SA has been organizing a football competition for people with intellectual disabilities under the name of the League SENI Cup. From the beginning the League was only for Polish teams. From year to year more and more teams from Poland took part in this league and SENI Cup enjoyed a big national success. A few years later, the League changed its character into the international one. 

SENI Cup is designed for people with intellectual disabilities. Our footballers live in residential homes and other long-term care institution.  

All participants of The Final Tournament SENI Cup 2010 in Toruń

We are dreaming about integration between disabled people and the rest of the society. It is the main goal of our League. According to latest inquiries, Polish society does not know too much about intellectual disability and is afraid of people with such disabilities. With our League we are trying to show that these people also have hobbies, interests, passions and goals to achieve. They love the same things as other people and would like to be treated normally.  

• Although the League continues to grow, and new teams are still joining the tournament, its goals from the beginning have remained the same: 
  - popularize football among people with intellectual disabilities
  - active thearpy of tournament’s participants
  - integration of people with intellectual disabilities into society on the basis of accteptance and respect
  - create the conditions for participation in sport and competitive opportunities, which stimulate their physical development 

Why is this League so unique?

SENI Cup is a kind of sports event which is designed for intellectually disabled people. This League is very special, but why?

…because it is one of the biggest sports events of this rank for intellectually disabled people in Poland
…because the only important things are the only desire to overcome their own weakness and enthusiasm for playing football
…because in a team there play both men and woman
…because there are no age restrictions (on the field there play footboolplayers from the age of several to tens of years)
…because in the final tournament there participate teams from all over Europe 

Every year, we are waiting for notification of new teams and of course for permanent members of our League. SENI Cup is waiting for yet undiscovered football talent! 

Rules

• The rules of League gaurantee fair competition. Why?
  they take into account different degrees of disability and the possibilities of participants
  due to their different levels of skills the teams are divided into groups
  every team has the same starting conditions and equal chance of winning
  
  Each team consists of seven players and three accompanyig persons (tutors, trainers and drivers).
  Team winning in the qualification, advances to the final Tournament.
  Dimensions of the pitch are 40-50m x 30-35m. 
  
  It is worth noticing that all the players with disabilities receive trophies, medals and awards – both in the Qualifiers and in the Final Torurnament.
  
  

Qualifications

Qualifying tournaments are held in several European countries: Chech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia. SENI Cup in Poland consists of three qualifying tournaments for the Polish teams. SENI Cup in Russia consists of seveen qualifying tournaments, in Hungary of four and in other countries of one. Winners advance to the International Final Tournament in Toruń.  SENI Cup gives also a chance for talented sportsmen to show their artistic skills. Since 2009 we have been organizing a special evening of art, during which they can perform at the stage. Each artist is awarded for their performance. The idea of this League was born in Toruń.   

The final Tournament In Toruń 

The Final Tournament is held in Toruń in early July. It is a sport "icing on the cake" and the target of each participant SENI Cup! That is what they compere in the qualifying rounds to be able to represent their country in The Final Tournament SENI Cup in Toruń. The Final Competition will be attended by 30 teams from the Chech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and Poland. Teams advancing to the Final Tournament do not bear any costs associated with participation in this sporting event.

The beginning of this Tournament is a traditional colorful parade through the streets of the Old Town of Toruń finished with the official opening of the Castle moat.

The next day there starts the game at Municipal Stadium. However, SENI Cup is not just soccer games, but also the team competitions and funny games. The whole creates a unique and unrepeatable sports event for disabled people.  

TZMO SA