- The World Ball Championship will be played at the end of the month in Biarritz, but the Basque pelotaris will not be able to compete with the team they would like. They have called for action from institutions, actors and political parties.
Between 23 and 29 October, before disputing the World Ball Championships in Biarritz, representatives of clubs and ball bodies have proclaimed the official status of the Euskal Herria team. They have met in Durango and presented the “Manifesto for the Basque selection of ball” under the motto Mundial yes, Euskal Herria also and No to the imposition, officiality.
In the international official championships, the Basque pelotaris have to play with another Spanish, French or official team. These are the criteria of the International Federation of Basque Ball, and Basque athletes will not change their hopes this year. “In our people, in the sport we have and which bears our name, we believe this is shameful and regrettable,” denounced remontist Endika Barrenetxea.
They are calling for steps to make this possible. Firstly, they have addressed the World Ball Council and the Basque football federations for decision-making, and one of them is concrete: Urge the Basque Football Federation once again to proceed with the formalization of the Basque Football Federation.
On the other hand, they have also called on the institutions to implement their “legal, political and personal tools”. But they are clear that the problem is “more political than judicial”. Therefore, they have also encouraged political parties, and especially those who “join the claim”, to action. Finally, they call for it to continue to support the Basque football community.
Familiar faces have been gathered in favour of the government: the president of the Basque Football Federation and two former presidents; the presidents of the federations of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, the president of the Northern Ball Committee; and athletes of different kinds of ball.