Betis, Barça and Athletic foundations raise alarm on trafficking of young footballers

Betis, Barça and Athletic foundations raise alarm on trafficking of young footballers

The foundations of Real Betis Balompié, FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao raise alarm on the trafficking of young footballers.

On the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, the Real Betis Balompié, Athletic Club de Bilbao and Barça foundations added their voice to raise awareness on the serious situation in which many young people are finding themselves victims of human trafficking by criminal organisations that deceive them and their families with the promise of playing for Spanish league teams.

A few weeks ago, the state security forces in Spain freed several young people of South American origin that had been victims of sexual exploitation by one of these human trafficking networks in a municipality in Andalusia. The young people had arrived in Spain with the promise of a future in Spanish league football but the criminal organisation had deceived them and they were detained and forced into prostitution.

Each of their families was forced to apply for financial loans from criminal organisations that charge high interests meaning that they were constantly threatened until these loans were repaid. The social entity Nuevo Hogar Betania has taken charge of their integral attention and our three members contacted it to offer support for the emotional and formative recovery of these youngsters. The objective is to carry out several aspects of psychosocial and emotional support through such interventions as the possibility of participating in football training schools and visits to the club facilities. Additionally, prevention actions through their communication channels to help avoid more young people falling victims to similar trafficking schemes.

Joint collaboration

The foundations of these three clubs have been working for years to support children and young people through various social and sport for development programmes. Now they are joining forces to denounce the serious problem of human trafficking and carry out actions to support the victims.

The entity Nuevo Hogar Betania thanks the clubs for their support and denounces the situation in which many of these young people find themselves, not only in Spain but in many countries around the world.

Begoña Arana , President of Nuevo Hogar Betania

“We are an entity specialised and endorsed by the Ministry of Health, consumption and social welfare, in female trafficking of minors and adults. For approximately 4 months we have been working on cases of male trafficking that are reaching our national social reality and we understand that we must act both in prevention and action, together with the support of the organised civil society, public administration and in this case with football clubs that are aligned to our ranks of coordinated action to shout: Stop Trafficking.

Thank you for making it clear that we are against this crime that violates human rights, FC Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis Balompié and Nuevo Hogar Betania generate a common action that starts with an awareness campaign about this crime.”

Iñaki Alonso Romero, Manager of Athletic Club’s ATERPE Child Protection Programme 

“Sport in general and football, in particular, must be a fundamental development tool for children and young people. They cannot be a place of suffering for people. Our club is clear that all children have the right to practice sport in a safe space and be treated well. Serving as a loudspeaker for the entities that work daily in the field, together with other important sports entities, means fulfilling the social responsibility that has always characterised our entity.”

Rafael Gordillo, President of the Real Betis Balompié Foundation

“Through this campaign, together with the Barça Foundation and Athletic Club, we want to join the fight against human trafficking and especially against the abuse of the most vulnerable young people who dream of playing and enjoying football. Alliances like this are a fundamental part of our common objectives within the framework of our social responsibility.”

Jordi Cardoner, first vice-president of FC Barcelona and the Barça Foundation

“In social issues, football clubs do not compete, on the contrary, we look for joint synergies to help us all improve the situation of children who are in very adverse situations. This is a good example of collaboration between three big clubs that come together to help fight a social problem.  Actions such as these demonstrate in the case of Barça the meaning of we are more than a club.”