VALPARAISO, Chile — What began as a survival mechanism within the brutal environment of incarceration has evolved into Chile’s pioneering prison rugby program, now officially recognized as Rugby Unión Libertad. Established within the Valparaíso Penitentiary Complex, this groundbreaking initiative has transcended its origins to become an officially registered sports club dedicated to inmate rehabilitation.
The team maintains a rigorous training regimen comparable to professional leagues: three days of field practice, two days of gym conditioning, and weekly matches. However, the program’s objectives extend far beyond athletic achievement, focusing primarily on preparing participants for successful societal reintegration post-incarceration.
Alex Javier Silva, 48, incarcerated since 1999, expressed the transformative impact: “Rugby freed me; it healed my soul. Here you have no heart, no mind—you’re not at peace with anything. You’re like an animal.”
The program originated in 2016 as a therapeutic workshop through the Addiction Treatment Center, initially attracting approximately 50 inmates who used the sport’s distinctive oval ball to alleviate the psychological burdens of imprisonment.
Coach Leopoldo Cerda, a teacher and volunteer who has guided the project since inception, emphasized the extraordinary commitment required: “People sleep poorly, eat poorly, and yet they have the physical and mental strength to overcome many obstacles that this sport presents.”
The program demands exceptional discipline, particularly in anger management given rugby’s intense physical contact. Participants must maintain good behavioral records and demonstrate teamwork capabilities. Jorge Henríquez, 42, explained the psychological benefits: “Violence is rampant here. There’s a lot of rage; sometimes you explode for no reason, and so with rugby you regulate that.”
The team’s remarkable journey reached its pinnacle in 2024 when they faced Los Cóndores, Chile’s national rugby team scheduled to compete in the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Silva described the historic match as “an epic battle” that provided unprecedented visibility to their rehabilitation efforts.
Beyond the prison walls, the initiative has spawned the Freedom Foundation (Fundación Libertad), established in November by former inmates, educators, psychologists, and coaches. This nonprofit organization provides comprehensive support including therapy, vocational training, and employment partnerships for released prisoners.
Psychologist Cynthia Canales, foundation president and former national rugby player, noted: “They want to change. We also want to show that there is a lack of opportunities, that we have to address the stigma.”
The program confronts Chile’s severe prison overcrowding crisis—the Valparaíso facility operates at nearly double its capacity with 3,351 inmates crammed into space designed for 1,919—which exacerbates hygiene issues and internal violence.
Guillermo Velásquez, 42, an original workshop participant who returned to prison in 2019, credited rugby with saving his life: “If the Libertad team hadn’t existed inside the prison, society would have had one more criminal.”
Now training on Valparaíso’s open fields rather than confined prison grounds, released participants continue their athletic development through “All Free”—the post-incarceration branch of Unión Libertad—demonstrating that rehabilitation through sport offers tangible hope for transformation.