SportGibraltar

Football: The GFA and Gibraltar vows to fight UEFA's decision in the courts, the fight goes on

Yesterday's decision by UEFA was clearly one of the biggest let downs in Gibraltar's sporting history.

The Spanish FA and Government will be extremely happy with the decision which went against the CAS ruling, which had earlier mediated in the GFA's favour.

SportGibraltar.com would like to thank all those that signed the petition but wouldl ike to emphasise that the fight goes on. We must not allow this setback to stop Gibraltar from taking its rightful place, within the UEFA family.

Gibraltar has every right to membership, even within UEFA's own laws. Spain's might has defeated us this time but we will use the law and moral highground to continue our campaign ensuring that Gibraltar become a UEFA member.

One of our readers from Canada has written to voice his discontent, mentioning:

"I share the obvious disappointment and frustration that all sports lovers must be feeling over the sordid politically motivated action of UEFA - by rejecting the application for membership the UEFA Executive have shown a clear disregard for law and an obsession to involve politics in sport.

How can the politically motivated actions of one vindictive nation in one sport determine the legal rights upheld by the Court of Arbitration?

Keep up the quest - I hope that this is only one more step in a worthwhile journey, a journey that will one day be successful".

Article from today's Chronicle:

FAILS IN BID TO JOIN UEFA• Landslide 45-3 decision shuts door to entry F Oliva reports:

GFA’s application to become a full member of Europe’s soccer ruling body was overwhelmingly rejected at the UEFA Congress held yesterday in Dusseldorf. In a show of hands, delegates representing the national federations of 52 countries turned down Gibraltar’s admission. Only the three federations of the United Kingdom voted for the inclusion.And there have been reactions of regret and disappointment at the UEFA decision from the main Opposition GSLP/Liberals, the PDP and Conservative Euro MP Neil Parrish.

In a statement to the Chronicle, a GSLP spokesman accused Spain of carrying out an intense political lobbying campaign to keep Gibraltar out. The international press present at the UEFA Congress also featured the outcome of the GFA application. “In a highly charged political debate,” said the International Herald Tribune, “Spain urged delegates to keep the tiny British colony at the southern edge of Spain out of UEFA.”

The newspaper continued by quoting Spanish federation president Angel Villar who is also a UEFA vice president: “In Spain, this subject carries a huge social and political sensitivity. We don’t want to bring political problems in soccer. We want politicians to solve political problems.”For the Press Association, Gibraltar’s 10-year campaign to become a member of UEFA “has ended in dismal failure.”

After a court challenge, Gibraltar was granted provisional membership of UEFA last month but FIFA ruled Gibraltar’s application for membership on the world governing body could not be granted.In 1999 Spain succeeded in having UEFA change its rules so that members were U.N.-recognized states. Gibraltar’s original application predates this change.Informed sources in Gibraltar yesterday intimated that the application could now be considered dead.

GFA PRESIDENT VOWS TO FIGHT ONEarlier Gibraltar Football Association president Joey Nunez had told the Congress: “Our aim is to enhance and develop football in Gibraltar. These are worthy aims and objectives. The GFA never wanted and did not seek legal confrontation but was left with no other alternative. It is one of the 10 oldest national associations in the world and since it was created in 1895 has organised competitions on its territory.”And he said the fight for official recognition would continue via the courts.“We are very disappointed, especially with regard to the position of the Executive Committee who informed members not to vote for our application. They went completely against the CAS judgements of October 2003 and July 2006. The fight will continue in court.”

VILLAR PROMISES TO HELP GFA Spanish Federation president Angel Villar has said that they would help the Gibraltar Football Association financially and with coach and referee training.“It’s a political issue and since 1713 we have not found a political solution to this situation, because it is so difficult to resolve,” he added. “This is a political problem,” Sr Villar told delegates in an impassioned speech on Friday.

Thanks but no thanks!

SportGibraltar.com would like to voice that Gibraltar has never needed Spain's support and never will. We have our own federation that manages itself very well independently. It will continue to do so and fight with the besieged mentality that has made our nation the proud people that the Gibraltarians are.

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