The Minister of Justice, Local Administration, and Public Function, José Antonio Nieto, accompanied by the Minister of Culture and Sports, Patricia del Pozo, has signed an agreement with the president of the Real Federación Andaluza de Fútbol (RFAF), Pedro Antonio Curtido, for juvenile offenders to fulfill judicial measures by collaborating in their activities and utilizing the values that inspire sports, such as coexistence, respect, teamwork, and non-violence so they can «rebuild their lives and have a second chance.»
Juvenile judges can impose measures of internment or open environment, such as performing tasks for the benefit of the community, socio-educational activities, or repairing the damage caused to society. For this purpose, the Ministry of Justice has agreements with nearly 300 municipalities and NGOs where minors can participate in tasks that contribute to their education in values, as well as restoring the harm caused by their behavior. After supervised release, socio-educational activities are the most common non-custodial measures imposed by judges.
During the event held at the High-Performance Center in Seville, Nieto explained that the idea of integrating the RFAF into the Juvenile Justice system arose from «the assault on a very young referee» and thanked the president of the organization for his «personal commitment» to establish this collaboration aimed at «rebuilding» the lives of young boys and girls who have taken the wrong path at some point, emphasizing that as a Public Administration, «we have an obligation to give them a second chance.»
The Andalusian Football Federation implements various programs using sports, soccer, or beach soccer as an integrative element in society that will help juvenile offenders understand and internalize respect for others. In fact, the minister defended sports as a vehicle for education in values «so that these young people learn to coexist, respect others, follow the rules, and never resort to violence in life.»
The Ministry already has experience in these types of agreements with other sports entities like Málaga CF «and we want to continue working with other Andalusian clubs,» he emphasized.
Nieto expressed pride that 25 years after the approval of the Minor Criminal Responsibility Law, which shifted from a punitive model to one that prioritizes rehabilitation without eliminating punishment, the Andalusian Juvenile Justice system is a national and international benchmark, with an 80% reintegration rate. Last year, 5,861 minors fulfilled open environment judicial measures in Andalusia, and 1,600 passed through Open Environment Internment Centers (CIMI), mostly for offenses like injuries and theft.
The minister thanked both the professionals working in Juvenile Justice resources and the judges and prosecutors, represented today by the coordinating prosecutor for juvenile execution in Seville, Teresa Vidal, for their commitment and involvement beyond purely work-related aspects to reintegrate these young people into society.
«Sports transform lives.»
In turn, the Minister of Culture and Sports, Patricia del Pozo, thanked the Ministry of Justice and the Real Federación Andaluza de Fútbol (RFAF) for signing this agreement between both institutions to collaborate on Juvenile Justice matters. Del Pozo highlighted that choosing the CEAR La Cartuja High-Performance Center for this agreement focuses on «the values generated by sports practice, as it spreads generosity, camaraderie, and a constant drive for improvement. Through them, sports can transform lives.»
Likewise, the president of the RFAF noted that «today is a historic day for Andalusian football and a starting point to continue advancing in the defense of minors. We have established synergies with the Government, the Prosecutor’s Office, and other institutions, and we have many paths open in this area. An example was the player sanctioned for assaulting a referee who, after exhaustive joint work and completing a course, managed to reduce his sanction by officiating games.»
Curtido added, «I hope we continue to progress with more agreements. The connection with La Cartuja continues with the arrival of the Spanish national team against Turkey in November.» «It is an honor to be here, and we have many exciting challenges ahead, such as the 2030 World Cup with venues in Andalusia. We must continue working so that values and sports go hand in hand,» he emphasized.
The event was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Justice, Ana Corredera; the Director-General of Juvenile Justice and Coordination, Esteban Rondón; and the Territorial Delegate of Justice in Seville, Javier Millán.