The Minister of Culture and Sports, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, also wanted to comment on the controversy unleashed by the presence or absence of the public in the stadiums As a result of the RFEF's proposal that the 2020 Copa del Rey de Fútbol final between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad, scheduled for April 3 at the Sevillian La Cartuja stadium, be played with the public and a reduced capacity of 20-25%, something that finally will not happen after the recommendation of the Ministry of Health.
Rodríguez Uribes, who attended this Thursday the presentation of the new UCAM athletes in the Spanish Olympic Committee, was blunt when defining who has the powers over the decision of public access to the stadiums: “Since This pandemic started, a year ago, I have always said that The measures on the public in the stadiums were not going to be decided by the Minister of Sports, but rather by the Minister of Health, because it is a strictly sanitary criterion. Therefore when the health experts say that the conditions are met, there will be an audience. “
Uribes was also asked about the possibility that there would be an audience in the Copa del Rey final of the 2021 edition that will face Athletic de Bilbao and Barcelona also in La Cartuja on April 17. “You already know that we are successfully practicing co-governance, that is, communication and dialogue between Health, the Ministry and the councilors of the Autonomous Communities that take place every day and especially on Wednesdays and they will be the ones who will decide at all times the epidemiology that we have and the possibility or not of public. I repeat: we will always take into account sanitary criteria. I talk to the Minister of Health every day. “
Alejandro Blanco: “I ask that there be an audience but respecting security measures”
On this issue, the president of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco, also expressed his enthusiasm for the return of the public to sporting events as long as the security measures are respected. “Sports events lack something, the public. The players are wonderful but the passion, the joy, the tears … life is in the public. But we have to respect the security measures and the Ministry will decide. Hopefully there will soon be an audience in the stadiums and at all sporting events respecting security measures. Now we will live a few complicated weeks with the isolation in the autonomous communities and that the health officials decide. I always ask for an audience but respecting security measures. Hopefully there will be an audience not only in a final, but in more sporting events and that life little by little returns to normal. But it is very important to respect the measures and advice that health workers tell us. “