The initiative brought together athletes, mental health professionals, and representatives from federations, clubs and institutions at the Barcelona Campus to examine the main challenges related to athletes’ psychological wellbeing, both during their sporting careers and after retirement from competition.
María Fernández Capo, director of the Department of Psychology, opened the conference. In her address, she noted that PsicoFormaT was created with the aim of becoming a reference point for the continuing professional development of Psychology graduates. “We want to continue supporting them and to offer opportunities to keep learning, share experiences and remain connected to the key challenges of the profession,” she stated. She also explained that the initiative seeks to give visibility to current issues in which psychology plays a fundamental role, fostering dialogue between professionals, experts and former students. This first session, focused on mental health in sport, marks the beginning of a series of conferences that will continue in the coming academic years.
One of the most notable moments of the conference was the lecture delivered by former Olympic gymnast Tania Lamarca, Olympic champion at Atlanta 1996 and project lead at the Blanca Foundation, who shared her personal experience after retiring from competition. Through her account, she described the profound personal change she underwent and the difficulties she faced after leaving elite sport. “Stepping down from the podium was the most difficult moment of my life,” the former athlete stated. During her talk, Lamarca highlighted the importance of having a strong support network during periods of change and uncertainty, one that supports athletes beyond their achievements and results.
Integrating mental health into sporting culture
The first round table addressed current mental health challenges in sport from the perspective of federations and clubs. Moderated by Marta Perarnau, psychologist and president of FUTPRO, it brought together Mar Ruiz de la Torre, coordinator of the Blanca Foundation and president of the Women’s Amateur Technical Committee of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation; Toti Mumbrú, manager of the Catalan Basketball Federation; and Tete Sabaté, sporting director of Club Nàutic Vilanova. The participants agreed on the need to embed mental health within sporting structures, strengthen the training of coaches and provide clubs and federations with greater resources for prevention and the early identification of situations of risk.
The afternoon session included a screening of the documentary Laberinto. Historias de un trastorno (Labyrinth: Stories of a Disorder), an audiovisual project promoted by the Blanca Foundation that explores mental health – particularly eating disorders – through first-hand accounts and stories of overcoming adversity. Drawing on the experiences shared by elite athletes and the insights of mental health professionals, the documentary invites viewers to reflect on the importance of prevention, early detection and psychological support as a fundamental part of personal and sporting development.
Mental health in sport: a shared responsibility
The second round table, chaired by Lola Fernández Ochoa, president of the Blanca Foundation, explored the relationship between clinical psychology and sports psychology. Participants included Carme Bastida, director of the Catalan Sports Council; Xero Gasol, lecturer in the Department of Psychology and psychologist specialising in sports psychology and general health psychology; and Elena Pujals, a psychiatrist specialising in adolescent mental health and a specialist at the Support Clinic at the University. The discussion addressed issues such as the emotional impact of displacement among young athletes, the development of an identity beyond performance and the need to promote policies that integrate mental health into athlete support.
The closing session was delivered by Javier Mirallas, president of the Salud y Persona Foundation, and Joan Piñol, its director general, who thanked all collaborating organisations, speakers and attendees for their participation in a conference that has helped to advance an increasingly necessary conversation on mental health in sport.
The final talk was given by Carme Bastida, who highlighted the importance of placing individuals at the centre and incorporating mental health as a further dimension of athlete support.
Throughout the conference, a common theme emerged: the mental health of athletes is, above all, the mental health of people. Addressing this challenge requires shared responsibility, training and resources to move towards a more humane, healthy and sustainable approach to sport.
