Brazilian top-flight club wear name of English fan with MND on shirts

← Back to the feed

Brazilian top-flight club wear name of English fan with MND on shirts

BBC Sport · 3 hours ago

Coritiba, a Brazilian Serie A football club, wore shirts bearing the name of Jonny Butcher, a 29-year-old Norwich fan diagnosed with motor neurone disease, during their match against Chapecoense to raise awareness of the incurable condition. Butcher, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in February, had developed ties to the club through his wife Ana Clara, a Coritiba native he met in 2023, and through Norwich City's strategic partnership with the Brazilian side.

Instead of their usual sponsor branding, the players' shirts read "Your strength inspires us. We stand as one." alongside a sunflower symbolising non-visible disabilities, and the squad posed with a banner bearing Butcher's name signed by fans, players and staff. Illness has prevented Butcher from fulfilling his wish to attend a match at Coritiba's Couto Pereira stadium, and the club said some of the shirts would be sent to his family and to an institution supporting people with rare diseases including MND.

  • Brazilian club Coritiba honoured Norwich fan Jonny Butcher, who has MND
  • Shirts replaced sponsor branding with his name and a supportive message
  • Butcher has ties to Coritiba through his wife and Norwich City's partnership

Americas Culture Health Medicine Sport Travel World

Read the full article at the source →