“An important first step. A historic milestone.” It is with these words that the president of the PNV, Andoni Ortuzar, qualified the amendment tabled in the future Sports Law, currently being debated in the Spanish Congress. Thus, the Basque pelota and surf teamsand as agreed, other sports “with historical and social roots”will be able to compete officially at the international level, once the new text is approved in the Congress of Deputies.
The result of the negotiations between the Basque Nationalist Party
and the Spanish government which does not have a majority in Congress in Madrid. The PSOE therefore needs the votes of the Basque deputies, in particular to get its budget voted. In return for the parliamentary support of the abertzale elected officials in Madrid, the Spanish executive agreed to modify the sports law.
The new Basque surfing and pelota selections will be limited for the time being to athletes from the three provinces of the Basque Autonomous Community: Gipuzkoa, Biscay and Alava. A few days ago, as the Mondial de Bairritz Pays Basque 2022 opened, several pelota players asked Durango and Biarritz the creation and recognition of a Basque selection
.
Changing the statutes of the FIPV
“I’m not going to lie to you saying that I just found out, so it’s not a surprise but I’m not going to react, assures Xavier Cazaubon, the president of the International Basque Pelota Federation (FIPV). If the parliamentary course arrives safely, because this is still only the beginnings of the process, etc., the statutes of the international federation will have to be changed. The statutes of the International Federation should be changed, yes. With the need to gather 66% of the votes in the general assembly, in order to modify them. A first step achievable before December. Before the formalization of Bilbao as the city of the pelota world championships in 2030 ? “You will see on October 27”, he replies. This Thursday, the FIPV is holding its national assembly in Cambo-les-Bains.
An announcement that did not fail to make noise. After the announcement of GNP, in Spain, the right (Partido Popular) and the extreme right (Vox) are furious. The abertzale left regrets that the agreement does not take into account other sports such as tug of war and especially football. Appeals are possible before the Constitutional Council and the Supreme Council.