The response of the Basque Federation to the RFEF

In relation to the statements of spokespersons for the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on applications for integration of the Euskadiko Futbol Federakundea-Basque Football Federation (EFFFVF) in FIFA and UEFA, demonstrations produced today, note:

1. The RFEF was notified of the presentation of the aforementioned requests on December 15 by letter addressed to its president Mr. Rubiales by the president Luis Maria Elustondo, letter sent and received by email at 6:50 p.m. on said day.

2. The delegation of EFF-FVF and GV did not arrange any meeting with leaders of FIFA and UEFA nor was it his intention to meet in person with such officials given the current pandemic situation. Its purpose was exclusively to deposit the applications with the extensive attached documentation, which was duly completed at both locations.

3. The rejection of the admission of a federation of a non-state territory for the sole fact of not belonging to a state recognized by the international community does not respond to the applicable regulations, with numerous examples of non-state territories that are part of the two international football associations (as the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs recently had the opportunity to verify in the case of Kosovo). The assumption of admission with the authorization of the state federation is expressly provided in the FIFA statutes (art. 11.6), assuming that it depends on the acquiescence of the RFEF in this case, what the FVF hopes to achieve after a quiet period of dialogue and negotiation between the parties that the FVF want to open and raise in due course.

4. We understand positively the statements of the representatives of the RFEF relative to the fact that it will proceed to analyze the situation raised, and that at a certain moment there must be an opportunity to deal with the subject from the technical level, for which the EFF-FVF When appropriate, it will formulate a possible and casuistic proposal that can meet the interests of both parties, within the framework of the general agreements that are generally considered at the institutional and sports level.

5. The EFF-FVF, with the support of GV, continues to be firmly convinced of the feasibility and need for an agreement between all the parties involved, an agreement that enables coexistence in international sports organizations, with respect, in our case, to the will of Basque football unequivocally expressed by its competent bodies, area that to this EFF-FVF It is up to defend and make reality.