Wednesday, October 3rd 2012 - 01:23 UTC

Spain will exhaust all legal means to prevent Gibraltar from UEFA membership

Spain will “exhaust all legal means” to prevent the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar gaining full membership of UEFA, Sports Minister Jose Ignacio Wert said. Gibraltar was admitted as a provisional member of European soccer's governing body on Monday and a decision on whether to grant full membership will be taken at a UEFA Congress in London next May.

UEFA president Michel Platini during the announcement in St Petersburg

Wert, whose portfolio also includes education and culture, said Gibraltar's provisional membership meant it could not yet take part in UEFA competition and said his ministry and the foreign ministry would work to block full membership.

“We have already said we will exhaust all legal means,” he told Spanish TV broadcaster Telemadrid. “I can say that we are reasonably optimistic that this provisional condition will not become a definitive acceptance.”

Spain claims sovereignty over Gibraltar, which sits at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean. The territory - which has an area of about seven square kilometres and a population of 28,000 - was ceded to Britain under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.

Gibraltar's case for UEFA membership has been strengthened by a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling that the governing body must consider its membership.

The territory's government criticised Spain's opposition to it joining UEFA on Monday, saying in a statement that “football and all sport should never be allowed to mix with politics”.

“Gibraltar's footballers are ready to excel in international competition and to become the 54th member of UEFA and it is hoped that no further obstacles will be put in their way” the statement added.

UEFA president Michel Platini made the announcement of Gibraltar’s readmission in St Petersburg. The measure came into effect on October first, 2012. The information was posted on the UEFA website Sunday afternoon.

UEFA originally granted Gibraltar provisional membership back in 2006 and said it had “no choice but to admit the Gibraltar Football Association as a provisional member” following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in July of that year.
 

Published in: Politics, International.
Tags: Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Gibraltar, Jose Ignacio Wert, Michel Platini, Spain, UEFA.

38 comments Feed

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1 British_Kirchnerist (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 02:48 am Report abuse
Shouldn't Gibralter compete as part of Britain, or part of Spain. How's the Gibraltarian FA, lots of big teams in it??
2 enviroc (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 05:13 am Report abuse
@1: Britain has no entries in the UEFA championships. It's based on leagues, so Scotland is a member, and England and Wales are members.

The Spanish are still trying the “if we persecute you, you'll learn to love us” approach (same as Argentina with the Falklands).

What the Spanish ought to do is invite Gibraltar to play in their league system, and give them a friendly welcome. I suspect the Gibraltarians would decline, and might cite border harassment as a reason (Not sure if the Spanish are still acting as ****holes on the border crossing - they were when I was there several years ago).

As long as Gibraltar has a seperate league, they'll gain entry. I assume its the same for Luxembourg and other small countries. (Anyone know about Andorra - independent but governed by Spain).
3 Boovis (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 05:25 am Report abuse
My neighbour had a dog. Every time anyone went past his house to work, the dog tried to bite them and the neighbour tried to steal their wallets. We got fed up with this so I went to his house, beat him up, and took his dog. Now he's my dog and he's nice and quiet, people now go to work in peace. Last week the neighbour asked for his dog back and said he was a nicer person now, I said we remembered how the dog was in his hands, but said I'd have a think, but then he posted rubbish through my letterbox, that reminded me he hadn't and wouldn't change, now he'll definitely not get it back. The dog likes me too, we're happy.
4 Idlehands (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 08:27 am Report abuse
Way to go Spain. Display to the world how churlish you are. I assume this makes sense to Spaniards? It's just funny to everyone else.
5 Ken Ridge (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 09:18 am Report abuse
“Spain will “exhaust all legal means” to prevent the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar gaining full membership of UEFA”

I think Spain should be focusing on the financial mess they are in rather than worrying about football.
It must be a Hispanic policy to use these issues to distract the public's attention from the real issues.
How very Argie, like two peas in a pod.
6 Idlehands (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 09:35 am Report abuse
A bit off topic but an Argentine is trying to stick his nose into the Abu Hamza case now too:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/un-advisor-says-sending-muslim-cleric-abu-hamza-to-us-would-equal-torture-8194857.html

Can we send him to Argentina instead?
7 malen (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 09:48 am Report abuse
i think britain cant win at football and are seeking for a colony that can make their job.
The best football players are hereeeeeeeeeee in SAm, what a pity.
8 Idlehands (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 09:53 am Report abuse
The best footballers abandon South America by their 18th birthday. They all play in Europe
9 ElaineB (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 09:56 am Report abuse
@7 The UEFA Champions League 2012 was won by an English team, Chelsea. Do you feel even more stupid now?
10 briton (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 10:12 am Report abuse
like father like son....
spain and argentina,
both drained and both blame others , both want what what they dont own.
both want to steal,
but will both back it up,
na,
both hide behind the skirt,
And the UN wears long skirts .
11 Conqueror (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 11:19 am Report abuse
@1 Lots of big teams in the Faroe Islands FA, are there?
@10 spain and argieland both need to get taught another lesson!
12 malen (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 11:22 am Report abuse
8 wow wow so much angryyyyyyyyyyy with football....... so you are admitting they are good, because that is what i said, better than europeans, so you buy them, better than rooney (he cares of his implant hair), than beckham (who only cares of his hair style) sorry but I dont know more.
13 Eddieposted (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 11:38 am Report abuse
@7
Football record - England v Argentina :– England Won 6 Drew 6 Lost 2.
Do you feel stupider than stupid now?
14 malen (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 11:47 am Report abuse
doesnt matter.... we prefer to play with good teams like brazil, uruguay, germany, not you.
15 ElaineB (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 11:50 am Report abuse
@12 No anger about football, just correcting your stupid remark.

There are a small minority of SoAm players in European leagues. They certainly get to play better football in the top European leagues, the Argentine domestic games are poor in quality.
16 Teaboy2 (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 12:03 pm Report abuse
@ So even though we have beat you 6 times to your winning just 2 times, you still prefer to paly brazil. Funny that as they are not that good anymore, look at the international rankings boy, you will find the first 3 teams are european, 4th is argentina followed by England. Wheres brazil? there 14th below Greece, Russia, France. Yeah Brazil are a really good team arn't they, especially when they are just 1 place above switersland and 2 places above the ivory coast lol.

Oh wait, we must be a good team as we also recently beat Spain the world cup holders and Italy the European championship holders within months of each other. Where as Argentina did not even qualify for the 2012 olympics or the 2009 and 2013 confederations cup. Yes argentina the not so great football nation. Shame really, as previously you used to be pretty good.
17 malen (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 12:18 pm Report abuse
Brazil, Spain, Germany and Uruguay, we prefer them.
England is a province of Great Britian, a region, or a city??
18 agent999 (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 12:49 pm Report abuse
Malen is a Mapuche name meaning “maiden” ?
19 Musky (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 01:00 pm Report abuse
Shame of Spain. Gibraltar has been British longer than it was Spanish and Gibraltar was in fact Moorish for twice as long as either of them. So Morroco has a better claim than Spain.
20 reality check (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 03:18 pm Report abuse
If EUFA start banning teams because of political posturing, it is finished as a sporting organisation and rightly so. Sport is suppose to transend politics, it is supposed to build bridges, not walls!
21 Idlehands (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 03:26 pm Report abuse
This highlights how the issue (like the Falklands) is not so much about territory as it is about losing face. It is unthinkable for Spain or Argentina to befriend these territories - it is as much about righting a percieved wrong and in a manner that proves they were wronged.

We don't go on about the Spanish Armada - well maybe we do because it sank - but all nations were up to all sorts in that period of history. They just need to let it go and forget about it.
22 Condorito (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 05:37 pm Report abuse
Malen,
“The best football players are hereeeeeeeeeee in SAm”
I wish you were right, but I think that is questionable. In fact since France beat Brazil 3-0 in 1998 (were you born then) only one SAm team has made the final and only one (Uryguay) has made the quater final.

We are in a period of European domination of football.
23 Anbar (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 08:26 pm Report abuse
Spain don't play cricket, nor Argentina, 'nuff said.

On the other hand... Take away all the “foreign” players from the Premier League and I doubt the remainder could beat Gibraltar. ..the England team certainly couldn't... heck, most of them cant spell it, or know where it is.

Argentina have learnt to play Rugby though, so there is hope yet. (if they could just get rid of the habit of voting for these self-destructive dictators of theirs)
24 reality check (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 08:35 pm Report abuse
I watched Argentina play Wales at the Arms Park back in the 70's. Think we use to call them the Pumas back then, maybe wrong, memories not what it used to be. we beat them easily, but I seem to remember they gave us a good game and acquited themselfs proudly, very good atmosphere in the ground. Mind you there aways was there and still exists in the Millenium today. That's what I like about the game, win, lose or draw a good Rugby game is joy to watch.
25 Truth_Telling_Troll (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 09:08 pm Report abuse
FIVB mens: (volleyball)

1. Brazil
2. Russia
3. Italy
4. Poland
5. United States
6. Cuba
7. Serbia
8. Bulgaria
9. Argentina
10. Germany

www.fivb.org/en/volleyball/VB_Ranking_M_2012-08.asp

FIBA mens: (basketball)

1. United States (2 top 10 showings)
2. Spain
3. Argentina (2 top 10 showings)
4. Greece
5. Lithuania
6. Russia (2 top 10 showings)
7. Turkey
8. France
9. Brazil (2 top 10 showings)
10. Australia

www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/even/rank/p/openNodeIDs/943/selNodeID/943/rankMen.html

IRB mens: (rugby)

1. New Zealand
2. South Africa
3. Australia (2 top 10 showings)
4. England
5. France (2 top 10 showings)
6. Wales
7. Ireland
8. Argentina (3 top 10 showings)
9. Scotland
10. Samoa

www.irb.com/rankings/full.html

FIH mens: (field hockey)

1. Germany (2 top 10 showings)
2. Australia (3 top 10 showings)
3. Netherlands
4. England (2 top 10 showings)
5. Spain (2 top 10 showings)
6. New Zealand (2 top 1o showings)
7. Korea
8. Belgium
9. Pakistan
10. Argentina (4 top 10 showings)

www.fih.ch/en/fih/events/worldranking

Davis Cup mens: (tennis)

1. Spain (3 top 10 showings)
2. Czech Republic
3. Argentina (5 top 1o showings)
4. Serbia (2 top 10 showings)
5. France (3 top 10 showings)
6. United States (3 top 10 showings)
7. Croatia
8. Kazakhstan
9. Austria
10. Israel

FIFA mens: (football)

1. Spain (4 top 10 showings)
2. Portugal
3. Germany (3 top 10 showings)
4. Argentina (6 TOP 10 SHOWINGS)
5. England (3 top 10 showings)
6. Netherlands (2 top 10 showings)
7. Uruguay
8. Italy (2 top 10 showings)
9. Colombia
10. Greece (2 top 1o showings)

No cricket, baseball, ice hockey, or polo: too regional (cricket exclusively commonwealth, baseball a north american/central american, ice hockey nordic, polo grassland countries, handball european). Anything else like argentine horseball, American football, Cestobol, Netball, rugby league are meaningless to measure internationally.

We are the boss of team sports, as I've alwas said. The rest of you bow.
26 briton (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 09:59 pm Report abuse
14 malen
Ha ha ha …
Every time you get proved wrong,
We get, don’t care now sob , sob,
We didn’t like it anyway sob sob ,

Come on man, wise up,
Ya lost a few times,
Get used to it,
.
27 Truth_Telling_Troll (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 10:02 pm Report abuse
@26

Was anyone here ALIVE when Argentina lost to England a significant football match?

I only remember two that matter (well, one I watched a video years later). In both, all I remember seeing at the end is unconsolable anglitos sobbing.
28 briton (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 10:23 pm Report abuse
the hand of god, we presume,
chuckle .
29 Truth_Telling_Troll (#) Oct 03rd, 2012 - 10:26 pm Report abuse
Nope, the brain of Beck and brat of Ham.
30 hammerhead993 (#) Oct 04th, 2012 - 01:30 am Report abuse
Malen, you clearly weren't on a debate team ever were you?

Tobi, you clearly care about of things that nobody else cares about. Take a look at the effort and time you allocated to compile that list and come to a conclusion like that.

You are a funny little boy. And no, it's not funny haha. The other kind of funny. I think what everybody thinks on these forums when they read your posts is “pobrecito”. I hear your mom calling in the kitchen. She's making once for you right now right?
31 malicious bloke (#) Oct 04th, 2012 - 02:37 am Report abuse
“Was anyone here ALIVE when Argentina lost to England a significant football match? ”

ALL of them. I was too young to remember the battering we gave you in '62 but i remember Antonio Rattin showing himself up as a typical argtard thug in 1966 and more recently David Beckham's penalty sending knocking you out in the group stage in 2000.

Even more recently and due to a quirk of preemptive ticket purchasing I was in the Olympic stadium in Berlin when the Germans put you lot to the sword. That was a hilariously gratifying experience, I must admit...
32 Eddieposted (#) Oct 04th, 2012 - 08:42 am Report abuse
@27
The last time I saw a group of men indulging in unconsolable sobbing was in 1982 when 11,313 shivering sobbing argentines begged to suurrender to the British before being shipped home to an obscure argentine port in disgrace.
33 British_Kirchnerist (#) Oct 04th, 2012 - 02:24 pm Report abuse
#2 “@1: Britain has no entries in the UEFA championships. It's based on leagues, so Scotland is a member, and England and Wales are members”

Doh! My bad, that will teach me to post at 4 in the morning! Why not play in England then? How does it work with the other anomalous British territories in Europe, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, are they in the English league or on their own? And seriously, how many teams are there on the rock?
34 Truth_Telling_Troll (#) Oct 04th, 2012 - 03:11 pm Report abuse
@31

66? What was that?

2000? As I recall it was a tie with Sweden that prevented us from going through to the next round. I don't remember anything about the British doing it.

And 2006? You mean when the Germans openly cheated?
35 Conqueror (#) Oct 04th, 2012 - 04:31 pm Report abuse
Faggot argies. Faggot Spaniards. Faggot Italians. What's the difference? Faggots by the million. Aberrations. Need to be dead. All of them!
36 Medea (#) Oct 05th, 2012 - 06:11 am Report abuse
Doesn't Spain have better things to do?
37 enviroc (#) Oct 05th, 2012 - 08:27 am Report abuse
On the one hand Gibraltar could play in the lower English leagues (I assume, given a population of 30,000 or so). But that would be a lot of travel. Politically they'd like that, but logistically, they'd prefer to play in the Andalucia league - which if they had any brains the Spanish Government would like as well. But in both cases they'd never get to play in Europe.

With their own league, their top club gets to play in Europe - once.

More important is playing in the European national qualifications, where like Luxembourg, the Gibraltar “national squad” can have the pleasure of being thrashed 9-0 by bigger countries once every 2 or 4 years.

If Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have this “pleasure”, there's no reason why Gibraltar shouldn't have it too.
38 Eddieposted (#) Oct 05th, 2012 - 10:29 am Report abuse
@31

“And 2006? You mean when the Germans openly cheated?”

An argie supporter whining about cheating at football - you couldn't make it up.

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