“The French Minister of Sports praises Betis”enthused on Tuesday the Seville Newspaper, daily newspaper of the Andalusian capital. The same morning, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra had at the microphone of France Info cited as an example the partnership between the Spanish club and Renfe, the national railway company, which provides that the different football and basketball sections travel by train. when they play away, after the controversy over Paris Saint-Germain’s private jet travel.
In May 2021, Sevilla FC’s historic rival signed an agreement with Renfe, which made the company the club’s official carrier. verdiblanco (green and white). Renewed, the agreement remains in force for the 2022-2023 season, and the team of French world champion Nabil Fekir takes the AVE (high-speed train) for most of its trips. This was the case on Saturday for a trip to Madrid (a three-hour journey). Real won 2-1.
Recycled jerseys
The choice of the train is part of the Forever Green platform, a group of initiatives in favor of the environment launched at the end of 2020 by the club. Real Betis was inspired by the example of Forest Green Rovers, an English third division club which has been working for a decade on carbon neutrality, and has been distinguished by FIFA as the most eco-friendly of the planet. Among the initiatives implemented by the Andalusian club: lighting powered by solar panels placed on the roofs of the Benito-Villamarín stadium, players’ shirts and shorts made from 100% recycled polyester, and the banning of single-use plastic in the stadium.
On March 13, during the Sevillians’ first division match against Athletic Bilbao, the public was encouraged to use non-polluting means of transport, with reduced rates for the rental of bicycles, scooters or electric scooters. Containers for the selective sorting of waste had been installed, and educational messages were broadcast throughout the meeting, won 1-0 by the locals. One euro was taken from each ticket sold and donated to a reforestation project. Another feat: the marketing of a sports shoe made from materials recycled by people with disabilities.
Electric scooters
Real Betis has also submitted to the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition the calculation of its greenhouse gas emissions for 2021, and has committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 10% by the 2024-2025 season. . By providing its employees with electric scooters, the club claims to have avoided 8,400 car trips in one year and thus saved 550 kilos of CO2.
Last May, a survey by the energy company Holaluz placed Betis at the top of the ranking of the least harmful Spanish teams for the environment, ahead of Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona. Sporting success was also there last season as Betis Sevilla lifted the Spanish Cup in April after winning on penalties against Valencia. Qualified for the Europa League, the Spanish team will have to fly to meet HJK Helsinki in Finland on Thursday.