Around 600 people have gathered in Lezama on the occasion of the eighth edition of “Futbola buruan”, the annual party of the BMHN project
Once again this year, the Athletic Club Foundation and the Osakidetza Mental Health Network have brought together nearly 600 people in Lezama to commemorate their joint project in favour of mental health. A common work that began in 2014 and that considers sports practice as a fundamental tool in the therapeutic process of patients with mental health problems. “Futbola buruan” is the name of the event that puts an end to a whole season of weekly training and is held every year at Lezama. The aim is for each participant to feel like the true protagonist of this annual initiative.
In 2025, “Futbola buruan” has completed its eighth edition bringing together not only users, but also managers, family members and volunteers linked to the project. The participating entities were: RSMB de Osakidetza, Eragintza, Argia, Avifes, Asasam, Gizakia, Emaus, Real Sporting de Gijón and RSM Gasteiz.
During the day, which took place throughout the morning, two main sports activities were organized:
- Walking Football Tournament. Once the Geurea League (Intercenter Mental Health Futsal League of the Basque Country) is over, the participating teams and new players play this tournament without classification or distribution of points with the sole objective of having fun. Inclusive football in the Walking Football modality, walking and avoiding injuries.
- Multikirola-Multisport. Moderate-intensity physical exercise sessions and various games that are carried out in groups with the idea of enjoying and having a good time.
In addition, the participants have had a picnic and a commemorative T-shirt as a souvenir of “Futbola buruan”. The design of this T-shirt has been made by DISORDER WAVE, a clothing brand that allocates its profits to minutes of psychological therapy for people without resources.
Together with the technical-sports staff of Athletic Club Fundazioa and mental health professionals from Osakidetza, Johana Ruiz-Olabuenaga, director of the Social Area of Athletic Club; José Ignacio Landaluce, Ana Isabel Rodríguez, Juan Luis Lapuente y María Estrella Garrido, representing Osakidetza and Izaskun Landaida, on behalf of Eragintza
Sport, value-based care and humanisation
Red de Salud Mental is a project aimed at mental health patients, mostly with severe mental disorders, over 14 years of age.
It consists of a series of weekly futsal, Walking Football and multisport trainings, developed in the Osakidetza Day Centres and other associations linked to the Basque public health network, led by technicians from the Athletic Club Foundation.
Group sports practice is part of the comprehensive recovery process of people with mental health problems. In addition to contributing decisively to improving physical fitness, combating metabolic syndrome and acquiring healthy habits, it also helps in the development of people’s life projects in the community environment, combating loneliness and fighting against the social stigma suffered by this group.
Three concepts are key in this project: the use of sport as a therapeutic tool, value-based care and humanisation.
Athletic Club, in addition, provides a benefit that is as important as the sport itself, and that is the capacity it has as a driver of inclusion and normalisation. Thanks to initiatives such as the RSMB project or Futbola Buruan, Athletic makes the disease visible, combats misinformation, provides a group identity and works as a medicine against the apathy that people with mental illness have.
The institutional collaboration between Athletic Club and Osakidetza in this pioneering project in favour of mental health has received important recognition in recent years, including the awards from the Foundation for the Development of Nursing, the “Gestión en corto” from Euskalit and the Humans Foundation, made up of professionals and institutions from the health and social health world.
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