Sports Accessible to All in Benidorm with 'Titanes sin Barreras'

Benidorm City Council hosted the official presentation of the sports club 'Titanes sin Barreras' this morning, the first entity in the city aimed at enabling people with intellectual disabilities to participate in organised sports.

The initiative, driven by Ben Atkinson and Manu Serrano, has been registered in the Municipal Register of Associations and Entities, as announced by the Sports Councillor, Javier Jordá, who assured "all our support" for the project.

Ben Atkinson, the club's president, explained that the idea was conceived five years ago when, together with Manu Serrano, they thought of creating a football team for young people who could not find their place in conventional teams.

"Last year we managed to form the first adapted football team, and this year we have taken a step further with the creation of the sports club. From now on, more disciplines will be added besides football," Atkinson noted.

Meanwhile, Manu Serrano highlighted the importance of providing opportunities to those traditionally excluded from competitive sports. "My son always wanted to play in a football team, but he was always on the bench," he explained emotionally. "I wanted to create something where he and other kids could feel useful." Serrano emphasised that the main goal of the club is for anyone with an intellectual disability "to be able to practice the sport they desire."

Currently, 'Titanes sin Barreras' has a football team and has already received proposals to incorporate other disciplines such as rowing, pétanque, and rhythmic gymnastics. "This is just the beginning to make the dream of sports inclusion a reality," Serrano added. In addition to sports activities, the club also organises social gatherings, meals, dinners, and dance activities to promote social integration.

The Councillor for Social Welfare, Ángela Zaragozí, highlighted the importance of initiatives like this to promote inclusion. "From our department, we work to ensure everyone has opportunities, and sport is a fundamental tool for this," she indicated. Zaragozí expressed her satisfaction "because boys and girls can enjoy their free time feeling part of a team."

With this initiative, Benidorm takes another step towards inclusion, promoting sport as a means for integration and personal development for people with intellectual disabilities.