Barça goes to prison

Far from the mental image we all have of prisons, promoted by series like Vis a vis o Orange is the new black, orange or yellow frogs are not part of this plot. Coming out of the prototypes exploited by television narratives, the women and girls who star in this story are normal people. They could be perfect school friends, neighbors, or co-workers. The only difference is that they have made some decision in life for which they have been deprived of their liberty. Those who have volunteered for the activity organized by the Barça Foundation enjoy a second degree of ordinary regime, that is, they sleep and are in prison for 24 hours. These are prisoners who are not dangerous but who do not yet have a parole or third degree regime and who have the possibility of applying for 36 permits a year, once a quarter of the sentence has been served.

The whistle blows: the activity begins and, around the ball, it’s time to let go. Before that, however, we need to know what we are playing, what the boundaries of the playing field are. And they put them on. Interns are the ones who have to choose what is worth and what is not, what is the goal and what is the valid path to achieve it. This choice, valid on and off the court, is the basis of everything: the game, its reintegration and its life. Here it is not only key to get the ball to the goal line first, but in fact it is much more important to incorporate values ​​such as sacrifice, empathy, commitment or discipline. “Through experience it is much easier for them to incorporate skills that will serve them in daily life,” explains Maria Linares, coach and head of the activity. “We improve camaraderie, teamwork and social relationships,” confesses Ricky, one of the interns. The sports activities, which have been running for three weeks, seek to bring any sport closer to the participants. Football, basketball, handball, volleyball … Any activity is profitable, as it is the anteroom to a reflection session between the interns and the sports technicians.

Values ​​and sport, always arm in arm

Empowerment is one of the main goals of the project launched by the foundation of the Barça club. “It’s a pride as a club to work with vulnerable people. We want Barça to make life better for these people. We need to empower these women, make them re-enter society, train them, acquire this knowledge,” defends Elena Fort, Barça’s institutional vice-president. “Society owed you a new opportunity and Barça will give it to you”, added the spokesperson, who, accompanied by the president of the Foundation, Marta Segú, and the Minister of Justice of the Generalitat, Lourdes Ciuró, attended the prison to present the initiative and talk to the interns. “We are committed to improving the lives of inmates in prisons. The practice of sport has an impact on reducing conflict, facilitates the abandonment of tobacco and drug use, and improves the coexistence and integration of people in their preparation for life in freedom “, reinforced the counselor.

As the protocol acts begin, the inmates make pineapple. Dara grabs the ball and holds it to her boots. Since she was a child, she has always played football, especially with boys, when she lived in Brazil. “I love football, it’s something I’m passionate about. Seeing Barça in here and developing this project is very beautiful. I would never have imagined it,” he confesses. “Sport has always helped me. to overcome my problems. It’s a refuge and it helps me a lot to forget about the things I have outside, “she admits excitedly. “We relax and enjoy like we haven’t for a long time,” says Alba, who continues to thank the three institutional representatives for “their generosity.”

Prison is not an easy place, inmates argue. Deprivation of liberty entails many fears, insecurities and hours of silence. Many days to think, to reflect, to focus in a constructive way that is sometimes not at all easy. Sport is an escape route as well as an opportunity to strengthen bonds between peers and with oneself.