Basque Football Federation (FVF) continues its long-term goal of having an official team Participating in international competitions, but for the time being, will freeze the process that started in 2018 to achieve it. As confirmed by the president on Wednesday, Javier LandetaThe FVF will not go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to enforce it. its acceptance UEFA and FIFA.

Landeta in an appearance at the Basque Parliament, FVF’s “Does not meet requirements” requested by two international sports organizations recommended by their legal services. not to appealgiven that there will be no way around it and it will be doomed to failure.

Despite this, the Basque federation affirmed its commitment to the official status of the Basque national teams and assured that the FVF would always continue to participate in international competitions. “out of respect for existing legality”.

THREE and half YEARS

Thus Basque football is closing an era that officially started (for now, at least) at a meeting held in Durango (Bizkaia) in December 2018. their rejection of the only item on the agenda: Agree to the direct integration of the FVF into UEFA and FIFA.

The proposal, supported by the Basque Government established by the PNV and the PSE, continued with 43 votes in favour, with one abstention. The then president of the institution, Luis Mari Elustondohe then took on the responsibility of initiating the legislative process to fulfill the assembly’s mandate. He claimed RFEF this will make splitting easier, but Luis Rubiales he flatly refused. Because he couldn’t do it in his will and legally.

The previously known issue is that FVF Not meeting UEFA and FIFA requirements for admission It was considered a federation independent of Spain, and also its claim conflicted with the Spanish constitutional framework. The Constitutional Court had ruled years ago that regional teams can only compete in international competitions in sports where there is no Spanish federation. Euskadi, for example, has been in competition for years. ‘sokatira’ or tug-of-war.

no official reception

Two years after this meeting, in December 2020, Elustondo traveled to Switzerland with the Sports Director of the Basque Government. Jon Round, to register your applications to UEFA and FIFA. In both cases, the two institutions Refused to hold an official reception for the Basque delegation. Later, in March, Elustondo left the presidency and Landeta, who is also the director of Basque Government’s Digital Justice and Infrastructure, joined it.

In July 2021, The UEFA Executive Committee decided to reject the FVF’s request without even sending it to Congress. Without announcing this, the body argued that the Basque federation “belongs to the RFEF” and “does not meet the criteria for admission as it is not a State recognized by the majority of the international community”. The latest amendment to the statute as a result of the forced adoption of Gibraltar.

FIFA says no

This refusal came just a few weeks after FIFA. and it still was more predictable than before, because the world organization requires that any federation wishing to become a member has previously been accepted by its respective confederation, in this case UEFA. You cannot be in FIFA without being in UEFA.

The FVF may appeal both decisions to the CAS, but “precedents” prevents these resources from having a chance of success. It insists on its desire to maintain official status, but the obstacles are the same as at the beginning of the process: neither the internal rules of UEFA and FIFA nor the Spanish Constitution allow it.