If there was any doubt about sport, about the issue of selections, about its relationship with politics, those of us who have seen these days have shown us for the eleventh time that they go hand in hand. As we have been taught, it is sometimes appropriate to work quietly, because as soon as the hare rises, some will bark with rage, a seven-headed dangerous monster like a hare.

At the congress held in Pamplona on 28 December, the Basque Football Federation approved the full membership of the international community and the joy of some and the anger of others have been mixed up. Some applause, because the decision means that a great step has been taken towards the official status of the Basque team, as it is possible for the first time in its history to participate in the 2026 World Ball Championship, and if not possible, in 2030, to be played in Bilbao and Gernika-Lumo. The rest of the insults, because the president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, has folded “to the wishes of the nationalists”, opening the doors to a “independent” Basque selection.

The Basque Federation, prudent but optimistic

On 1 January 2023, Law 39/2022 on Sport entered into force. It's in that document -- 48. Point 2.– Paragraph which may involve the official selection of the ball. It says: “Autonomous sports federations will be able to participate directly in the international arena if the international federation anticipates their participation”. To do so, they must comply with at least one of the two requirements set out in the law: “To have sports modalities or specialties rooted historically and socially in the Autonomous Community; or before the constitution of the Spanish Federation, if the Autonomic Federation was already part of the International Federation”. Precisely, the ball has traveled the way to the foundations, and surfing can do the same in the year of the founding of the federation, with the aim of highlighting the two sports that have occupied almost all their attention.

But the last word is held by the Spanish institutions: “For regional federations to be able to participate in international official competitions, an agreement is needed with the Higher Council of Sports (CSD),” which, let us remember, is an organization dependent on the Government of Spain.

Perhaps that is why he speaks wisely, but with some optimism the president of the Basque Football Federation, Gotzon Enbil, asked about the CSD decision: “I don’t think I can do anything, when we made the petition in the International Federation, we said that the new Sport Law would accept us and, therefore, we would take the step to make the petition,” said Naiz’s journalist Oinatz Aizpuru. And he adds: “The Sports Council did not tell us that we could not do it, but that they would follow our process. The Law allows us, the International Federation recognizes us; the Spanish Higher Sports Council can only say that we are partners.”

However, the Basque Federation warned: “A federation may appeal.” It didn't give any name, but all eyes turned to Spanish. What is more, seeing what happened at the international meeting held in Pamplona on 28 December. Julián García Angulo, president of the Spanish Football Federation, was not convened because the International Federation has opened a file against him, following a complaint by the Arab Confederation of Basque Ball, for the offensive demonstrations by the Spanish representative against the Arab people. In fact, the International Federation retained the right to vote on the subject of selections, but not the Spanish Federation, which had the possibility to appoint and vote one of the other three members of the Management Committee. However, he was sent to Pamplona Jorge López, nephew of García Angulo, who did not have the official status of delegate. That's why they didn't let him in.

As the International Football Federation has stressed, the decisions taken in the vote were taken by a large majority. Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, France – yes, France – and Peru voted in favour. Chile was the only one who voted against the proposal, while Costa Rica abstained. Spain has a large number of weighted votes, it is quite possible that if it had taken part in the vote it would not have gone ahead, which has made it even more infuriating. “This is a dictatorship,” López said, when he was not allowed into the room.

Faced with the anger of the Spanish Federation, the President of the International Federation, Xavier Cazaboun, born in Biarritz and nationalized in Mexico, has called on all parties to seek a solution: "You have to bring down the thermostat of plot and protagonist, and see things as they are. The dust does not disappear even if it is hidden under the carpet. Has the problem disappeared? No. The first thing they would have to do is put aside partisan interests and gather around the table to bring about a 30-year conflict. What our sport needs is unity." He points out that the attitude of a federation cannot condition the trajectory of the international and adds: "Our sport is called a Basque ball."

“We will defend the rights of Spain”

As was to be expected, following the approval of the International Football Federation as a full member of the Basque federation, Spanish sports organisations, political parties and media have begun an offensive against the decision. The Spanish Football Federation, for example, has announced that it will appeal to the Constitutional Court this "nationalist injustice" which it considers unfair.
"We will use all the legal tools at our disposal to defend the rights of Spain," said Julián García Angulo, who described the procedure of the International Federation of Basque Ball as "irregular and confusing". A statement by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) states that the decision will be appealed to the Courts and the Court of Sports Arbitration. In this way, it will be supported by the Spanish Olympic Committee and the Spanish Sports Association (ADESP).

The Spanish Federation has also warned the Spanish State Sports Council: "We hope that it will use the criterion of prudence and that it will not ratify the agreements adopted by the assembly of the International Federation until all the legal entities have made their word public," he added.

The Spanish Federation began the crusade as soon as the decision of the Spanish Federation of Cycling was known. "Pedro Sánchez had no right to dedicate the ball to the PNV and to politicize sport," Angulo wrote on social networks, referring to the amendment referring to “historically and socially rooted sports” – included in the Sport Law – agreed by the PSOE and the PNV.

Political controversy

In short, the law was passed by the Congress of Deputies in November 2022, prior to the 1990, with 166 votes in favour and 157 against and 18 abstentions. They voted in favour, among others, of the PSOE and the PNV; against pp and Vox; and abstained ERC, EH Bildu and BNG. The three parties, however, voted in favour of that amendment.

The PNV has shown itself to be “very satisfied” with the “definitive historic step” that the Basque National Team has taken in Pamplona to achieve the official status. In the words of the Jeltzale training, “this decision, together with the modification of the Sport Law carried out by the Basque Group of Congress and the Senate in October 2022, allows the Basque pelotaris to wear the Euskadi t-shirt and parade with ikurrina in international official competitions”. And he adds: “The PNV is committed to facilitating the official path to most sports disciplines.” For his part, the president of the CAV, Imanol Pradales, has stated that it is "great news for the ball, for the Basque sport and for the Basque sport". The Basque language will be the official language in the championships of the International Federation, together with Spanish, English and French.

EH Bai and EH Bildu have received "with optimism" the decision of the International Football Federation, although they have added that "we must continue working" to obtain selections that recognize the whole of Euskal Herria. For its part, EH Bildu has called for an amendment to the Sport Act, confirming what Mrs Mertxe Aizpurua said more than two years ago: “We will not support this Sport Law that requires playing with the Spanish team; it makes an explicit threat that the refusal to play is considered a serious infringement that may involve fines such as the loss of the license.”

PSOE Deputy Juan Luis Soto said that the new Sport Law "does not break Spain", as some would have it believed. “On the contrary, sport becomes an instrument of social cohesion”. On the contrary, it was the representatives of pp and UPN who spoke forcefully. What has happened for Navarra is “unfair”, and the general secretary of the Basque PP, Esther Martínez, has stated that the “last trap” of PNV and Pedro Sánchez damages the Basque ball to add it: "Politics is not a sport", a phrase that is commonly used to disregard activities that you do not like.

Years of work

"It's the result of a road," they said. the members of the project in the Basque Country. "It has been seen that it is possible when athletes, civil society and technical and political decision-makers go in the same direction. This favours sport, the people." However, the citizens' initiative has underlined that, in the event of the possibility of competing internationally, "the participation of pelotaris from all Basque territories should be guaranteed".

The result of a road. The Federation of the Basque Country has been fighting for official status for years; the ESAIT platform has been fighting for years – until 2015 ended its road – and they are younger We too! initiative and movement for the selection of Basque ball from Euskal Herria (EHEPSAM).

In March 2020, Gu ere bai! the project at the San Mamés stadium in Bilbao – whose founding manifesto was signed by 750 athletes – on 14 October 2022, at the door of the World Championship held in Biarritz, 50 pelotaris announced in Durango – including representatives of all Basque federations – the document “For the selection of Basque ball”. He held a conference at the Makea in Lapurdi. Spokespersons Amaia Larralde and Eñaut Etxeberria have explained that the new platform of Ipar Euskal Herria aims to "achieve the official selection of Basque ball".

Although the wave in favour of the Basque selection had lost strength in recent years, there was also a certain pessimism in some areas, thanks to the work of ants from different athletes, institutions and collectives, the demand for years is still alive and, although far from it, sometimes so many are achieved.