FC Barcelona shows its commitment to being a multisports club with the official presentation of its amateur sections

FC Barcelona shows its commitment to being a multisports club with the official presentation of its amateur sections

More than 1,200 athletes from the nine amateur sports were officially unveiled at an event attended by President Josep Maria Bartomeu, First Vice President Jordi Cardoner and Director Oriol Tomàs

The Palau Blaugrana was the venue for the presentation of FC Barcelona's amateur sections teams for this season. The event was attended by Club President, Josep Maria Bartomeu; the First Vice President Jordi Cardoner; the Director in charge of the amateur sections Oriol Tomàs; and social commission member Jaume Carreter.

The event included 1,200 athletes and coaches, as well as delegates and members of the different sporting commissions, and their family members and friends. They filled the Palau Blaugrana for a presentation that was, in essence, a celebration centred on the amateur teams. The new FC Barcelona amateur sections are athletics, field hockey, women's volleyball, weelchair basketball and women's basketball.

Recognition for the Olympic athletes

The event also served to recognise those members of the FC Barcelona sections who were also Olympic athletes at the last Olympic Games. That group included the athletes Raquel González, Ilias Fifa, and Yulimar Rojas, the silver medal-winning Venezuelan triple-jumper who just joined the club; the paralympic athlete Xavi Porras; the rugby players Pol Pla and Joan Losada; and the field hockey player Miki Delàs.   

The event opened with a group photo that was taken of all the athletes with Bartomeu, Cardoner and Oriol Tomàs, followed by speeches and a parade of all the different club sections. Each section's captain and youngest player gave the Club President one of their shirts.

Barça, a multisports club

If Barça is 'more than a club' it is partly because it has, from the early days, placed a strong emphasis on a wide variety of sports. Currently, aside from football and the four professional sections of basketball, handball, roller hockey and futsal, the club has nine amateur sections. Throughout Barça's history they have also had gymnastics, wrestling, judo, swimming, artistic roller skating, American football, cycling, baseball, and women's hockey. The amateur sections are a key aspect of what makes Barça different and all the sportspeople contribute to enriching FC Barcelona's history.

Club President Josep Maria Bartomeu's statements:

“From Barça's board of directors we are promoting your sports. The amateur sections are also a way of being a part of Barça and we are very proud of all of you. We thank you for the work you all do.”

First Vice President Josep Cardoner's statements:

“We are as emotional as all of you. This image of the Palau is striking and we want to meet like this once a year.”

Director responsible for FC Barcelona's amateur sections Oriol Tomàs' statements:

“We are here to inaugurate the 2016/17 season and the staging here is proportional to the importance of the amateur sections to this board. The achievements last year were extraordinary and we saw you competing and the impressive levels of commitment you all have with Barça.”

“We hope to repeat our successes without losing our essence. Our strength and vocation is to develop the best sporting talent and there is no better club to develop at than Barça.”
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