On the last day of the matches, and the PingPongParkinson® World Championship, the PingPongParkinson® family woke up to the sad news of the passing of Antonio Perrone on Friday night. Antonio was competing in the tournament during its first two days before he had to pull out due to health reasons. As the oldest participant in this year's championship at 84 years, we can say that his determination went beyond sportsmanship but carried forth the spirit of humanity.

To the family, friends and the world, we would like to express our deepest condolences.

This year during the opening ceremony, we also took a moment to salute in loving memory our departed friends: 

Ronnie Gilboa from Israel (1956 - 2023) - “I believe in the power of the one. This individual who can make our society better, more just - and even healthier". Ronnie Gilboa, 2018. 

Angela Hagman from Sweden (1956 - 2022) - Angela was a positive, sweet, happy, caring and popular person. 

Mirko Kozar from Slovenia (1954 - 2020) - Mirko was a big fighter at the ping pong table. With his humor he brought good mood in our group. He was a great man & our best friend. We did not expect him to give up. Mirko, you will always be in our hearts and memory.

Edmur Mesquita from Brazil (1954 - 2020) - Edmur’s time among us was short, his impact was profound. He demonstrated that the human spirit can triumph over physical limitations, leaving an enduring legacy of resilience, elegance and unwavering determination. In the world of table tennis and the fight against Parkinsons, Edmur Mesquita in our hearts you’ll stay.

The PingPongParkinson® World Championship is just three days away. Being hosted this year in the lovely city of Wels in Austria, the local organizing committee is ready to welcome players, family and friends. This year 296 players will compete over five days in about 2000 matches.

We would like to say a special thanks to all our sponsors and partners, and appreciate in a big way SPG Felbermayr Wels table tennis club.

Watch all the fun on our youtube page and stay updated through the tournament website at https://pppwc.org.

Every year in April the global parkinson community honors James Parkinson who identified the disease over 200 years ago by marking Parkinsons Day on April 11. A tradition that has been observed since the first World Parkinsons Day held in 1997 to help raise awareness on parkinson’s disease.

In our own way we are celebrating the launch of four new chapters recently opened across the United States in Madison, Wisconsin on March 23rd and Pennsylvania, Philadelphia in partnership with PingPod (hyperlink https://pingpod.com) on March 27th while the third and forth opened in Chicago USA on 19th April & Guyana in South America on 24th April this year! The Wisconsin chapter is led by Karen Staebell a Ponger who says that playing ping pong helps bring balance to movement affected by parkinson’s disease. In Philadelphia Stephanie Chen leads the chapter, a neuroscience medical student professional who was interested in understanding the connection of playing ping pong which is commonly known as a brain sport for people with parkinsons like her grandfather. In Chicago the team leader is Jim Kroeger while in Guyana, Robert Persaud a former table tennis professional player who has played on every continent except Antarctica leads the charge.

As April is Parkinsons Awareness Month, it reminds us here at PingPongParkinson®️ just how much sport is about community. For the past 6years now we have rallied a group of over 2000 players who not only believe in the power of sport to change lives but actually live it. Regular play promotes health, wellness and active lifestyles (SDG 3) and fosters a sense of solidarity within our PD community. And so once again flags will be raised high and national anthems sang with pride as we look on and celebrate the upcoming 2023 PingPongParkinson®️ World Championship (hyperlink http://pppwc.org) to be held in Wels, Austria on September 24th to 30th. Registration for the championship is still open and closes on August 14th 2023.

With over 10million people affected by PD (parkinson disease) worldwide, there is an ever increasing need to provide more phsycosocial support alongside treatment. Our ping pong sport therapy rehabilitation program does more than that.

“ After less than 6 months I now walk and talk, so you can hear me I am not whispering anymore.. ive quit breath support. “

Robert Socolof

​Today we mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. We celebrate the role of sport in being a key contributor to the Sustainable Development Goals; Good Health & Wellbeing (SDG 3) and Partnership for the Goals (SDG 17).

We will continue to advocate for the health benefits of playing ping pong for the Parkinsons community to promote healthy and active lifestyles as this embodies our goal of breaking down barriers, empowering communities & setting new records. It shows what we stand for and how we do it together.

We celebrate all our supporters and partners who have stood with us in solidarity for the past 6years. Happy Sport Day!