By Mark Baber
April 4 – As the UEFA Congress vote in May on Gibraltar’s football status nears, the Spanish Government has declared that it will back the Spanish Football Federation in trying to block Gibraltar’s full membership. In answer to questions from Ezquerra Republicana de Cataluña (ERC) representative Alfred Bosch in the Madrid Cortes, a Spanish government spokesman said: “At this point in time, the Government does not consider the possible staging of official football matches between Spain and Gibraltar. In any case, the Government will ensure that this hypothetical situation does not arise.”
“We are currently opposed to the membership of the British colony of Gibraltar of any international sporting federation. We will take the necessary measures in our power to avoid a situation which is contrary to the sporting strategy of the Spanish state.”
In contrast to the government position, the left-wing nationalist Catalan ERC, with 21 seats in the Catalonian parliament, “supports Gibraltar’s aspirations in parallel to its own claims for secession from Spain and its membership of official international sporting federations in its own right, separate from Spain.”
Gibraltar’s progress to international football recognition has been tortuous and generally blocked. In 2007 UEFA delegates decisively rejected Gibraltar with only England, Scotland and Wales voting in favour.
The issue was, however, referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and on 21 March 2012 UEFA’s Executive Committee discussed the request for membership and a road map, which includes financial and educational support from UEFA, was agreed.
Gibraltar became a provisional member of UEFA on 1 October 2012 and member associations will vote on the request for admission in May 2013 at the UEFA Congress.
The Rock, population 30,000, was ceded to Britain “in perpetuity” by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 and has strong footballing links with Britain, winning recently against English Football League clubs Bury, Notts County and Portsmouth, as well as competing regularly in the Island Games.
The Spanish government recognises UEFA is a private entity with sufficient autonomy to take decisions related to football competitions in Europe. If Gibraltar does win full membership of UEFA, the argument for a preliminary competition in the European Championships for Europe’s minnows will be further strengthened.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1736784745labto1736784745ofdlr1736784745owedi1736784745sni@r1736784745ebab.1736784745kram1736784745