Valencia CF campaign “Stop Bullying. Tots a una veu” featured on LALIGA VS and Podium Podcast

Valencia CF launched the campaign “Stop Bullying. Tots a una veu” to engage 900 schools from the Valencian Community in the search for “captains against bullying”, aiming to eradicate hate from classrooms and social media through the power of football.

LALIGA has now released a special feature on this campaign, with participation from coaches and players from the VCF Academy, as well as representatives from the Psychology Department and Área Afición, the division that led the project two seasons ago - with Valencia’s Colegio Engeba crowned as the winner.

“In this episode we join forces - LALIGA, Valencia CF and schools — because in sport, as in life, respect, teamwork and empathy are the values that, when playing together, leave no room for bullying to win,” explains the podcast, available on Podium Podcast, as well as El País and Diario AS.

“The project was born when we saw an increase in bullying cases in schools and felt the need to use the positive influence of sport and footballers as a loudspeaker to raise awareness and educate,” explains Ana Carceller, from Área Afición, who leads this project and the educational talks programme held in schools.

“Our main motivation is to protect children and promote the values linked to sport — respect, teamwork, tolerance and solidarity,” she concludes.

“We have to act clearly and firmly, punishing those who do it - I don’t understand why they do it,” says David Albelda, player and captain of VCF Cadete A. “The captain must lead by example and follow the rules properly, because if teammates see that, they will follow too,” adds the son of the former Valencia CF captain of 15 seasons.

At the VCF Academy, the path is guided by the philosophy “Sentiment, Valentia i Germanor” (Feeling, Courage and Brotherhood) and the values behind these principles, summed up in the motto displayed at the entrance to the Ciudad Deportiva building: “Educating People, Forming Footballers”.

“These three words - Sentiment, Valentia i Germanor - define what it means to be Valencia CF,” explains Vicente Amposta, coach of VCF Cadete A, who highlights the specific training coaches receive in this area.

“Cada vez los cuerpos técnicos somos más profesionales y tenemos más formación en ese sentido para poder detectar los casos de acoso y de bullying. Somos cuerpos técnicos muy cercanos a los jugadores, que tenemos semanalmente entrevistas con todos los jugadores para interesarnos por su bienestar en el equipo y su bienestar a todos los niveles”.

This season, the VCF Academy has also strengthened the presence of psychologists in all Fútbol 11 teams and in the final stage of Fútbol 8, to accompany players in their football and personal development.

“When a situation is detected, it’s essential to support the child, to make them feel heard by their coach, psychologist and the management - by their reference figures,” explains Pau Galindo, Head of the VCF Academy Psychology Department. “We then work in coordination with their environment - family and school - to ensure full support.”