Pilar Alegría highlights the transformative power of sport against violence

• The Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports attends the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Stop Violence in Sport’, organized by the City of Alcorcón
• The exhibition is part of a local campaign to promote respect, tolerance and teamwork to prevent any type of violence in the sports field

Madrid, November 24, 2025. The Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, Pilar Alegría, has highlighted the transforming power of sport against any type of violence. Alegría made those statements at the opening of the exhibition ‘Stop violence in sport’, organized by the City of Alcorcón in a campaign to promote the positive values of sport —such as respect, tolerance, coexistence and teamwork— and prevent any type of violence, especially verbal violence, which has been identified as one of the most common forms of aggression in the sports field.

During the event, which was held at the sports center Los Cantos de Alcorcón and which was attended by the mayor of the municipality, Candelaria Testa, the minister made a tour of the 110 panels with images of different athletes of the municipality in which 25 clubs and 90 young people of Alcorcón raise their voice to defend what makes sport great: its values. It has been the councilor for Sports, Carmen Martín, who has been telling her the different personal stories.

In his speech, Alegría highlighted that in addition to the victories, there is another essential element that characterizes our athletes: “What they defend on and off the court.” She has referred to figures such as Paula Leitón, “a brave woman reminding us that all bodies deserve to be celebrated”; Ana Peleteiro, “who every time she jumps seems to tell the world that equality matters, is fair and necessary”; Rafa Nadal, “who has taught us to accept defeat and, above all, to win out of respect for her great rivals”, or Álex Roca, “the first person with a physical disability of 76% who has been able to complete a marathon”. “If they all shine, it is not only because of their talent, but because they represent the best sport has: respect, humility, companionship, equality, effort and improvement,” he said.

However, the head of Sports said, “sometimes violence appears in spaces where it shouldn’t: in a stand, in a training, or in a school game.” Sometimes, he said, “they are insults, mockery… gestures that hurt more than a fall or a blow, and none of that is acceptable.” For this reason, Alegría has thanked the City of Alcorcón for the initiative and its firm commitment to sport, and has stressed the importance of not looking the other way in case of detecting any signs of violence in the sports field.

The ‘Stop Violence in Sport’ campaign was born after the Council noted a worrying increase in insults, bad words and offensive gestures directed at athletes, referees, coaches and the public in different sporting events throughout the year. To face this reality, its objective is to sensitize the entire sports community and reinforce education in values to eradicate these behaviors.

The event was also attended by members of the Women's Sports Ambassadors of Alcorcón project, an initiative in which various women belonging to the clubs and sports entities of the city participate to promote sports practice in girls, adolescents and adults of the municipality.