A team made up of representatives from Athletic Walking Football for cancer patients will take part this Saturday in the international tournament organised by the historic Hamburg SV
At the start of the year, the Athletic Club Foundation and the Bizkaia Cancer Association launched a project that is as exciting as it is transformative: the Athletic Club Walking Football team, aimed at people who have beaten cancer or are living with the disease on a chronic basis.
Months after that first session in Lezama, the group’s hard work, perseverance and camaraderie are set to be rewarded in a very special way. A delegation from the red-and-white team will travel to Germany to take part, at the invitation of Hamburg SV, in a prestigious international tournament which will also feature historic clubs such as Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund, Slavia Prague, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Hertha BSC Berlin, Werder Bremen and the host team itself.
Much more than just a team
Athletic Club Walking Football will travel to Hamburg with a squad of ten players – selected from the more than forty who train weekly at Lezama. They will do so with the responsibility and pride of representing all their teammates, but also with the satisfaction of demonstrating that sport can be a powerful tool for wellbeing, enthusiasm and personal growth.
Every step of this journey symbolises the path taken by many people who have found in football a space to share experiences, regain confidence and continue to enjoy physical activity as a team.
Representing Athletic Club in a tournament of this nature also serves as recognition of the commitment shown by the group since the project began and of the values it conveys both on and off the pitch.
Best wishes from Edin Terzić
Before setting off for Germany, the team received a very special visit. The men’s first-team manager, Edin Terzić, wanted to greet the members of Athletic Walking Football in person and convey his full support and best wishes for this international experience.
It was a heartfelt gesture that moved the group and further boosted their enthusiasm as they look forward to this very special event.
Hamburg SV, a prestigious host
Athletic Club has been honoured to be one of the clubs invited to this tournament organised by Hamburg SV, one of the most iconic clubs in German football.
Founded in 1919 and six-time Bundesliga champions, the Hamburg club also shares with the Athletic Club Foundation a firm commitment to adapted physical activity and sport as a tool for inclusion, health and wellbeing.
When football improves lives
Regular moderate physical activity among people who have undergone cancer treatment helps to improve functional ability, reduce fatigue, boost mood and enhance quality of life. Through this project, the Athletic Club Foundation and the Bizkaia Cancer Association are reinforcing their joint commitment to sport as a means of promoting physical, emotional and social wellbeing, aimed at reducing the impact of cancer and improving people’s quality of life.
The trip to Hamburg marks a new milestone for this team. It is a reward for the hard work put in throughout the year and, above all, an opportunity to continue demonstrating that, sometimes, football can be so much more than just football.
Because football is everything, even when not everything is football.
Functional diversity
