National aim
Xavier Vinyals
01/06/2005
National aim
Xavier Vinyals
01/06/2005
A first-rank national aim is and must be for Catalonia to have its own sports teams competing at an international level with equal opportunities with the other countries of the world. I think that we are all well aware of the importance that for a country that is in the middle of the process of building itself such as ours this fact may have. The transcendence is so great that it is worthwhile for our institutions to devote all the necessary means to this aim. In addition, it is the only national first-rank aim that does not require either the approval or the understanding of our Spanish neighbours. For other subjects that are very important for our future such as the new Statute or the new financing system it is still necessary to take the plane to Madrid. But not for Catalan Teams. This does not mean that our politicians should not do their job, which is to speak and negotiate with the Spanish Government and whoever it is necessary to find solutions. It is clear that for Catalan Teams we depend on third parties, but these are not governments that are hostile to the logical national aspirations of our country but private, individual people. This is what someone ended up calling “human people”. And this is a field in which we can compete. Anyone can see that “human people” may be very often influenced. This is clear. All the same, anyone may see that governmental and private Spanish bodies are not at all favourable regarding our aspirations and that, consequently, they will do everything they can to block the way using all the influences and mechanisms that are available to them. It was all very obvious at the assembly of the International Federation of Roller Sports in Fresno. Nevertheless, we also have some power to influence and, sincerely, I believe that we may have more than anyone else because a lot is at stake for us, more than for anyone else. There is a multiplicity of mechanisms to try to influence people. Everything has been invented. From convincing speeches and logical reasoning to companies specialised in public relations. From conviction and feelings to important lawyers’ offices. It is a matter of starting to work on it. We know how to do it. In the past we obtained the Olympic Games; this is much easier. We do not need any miracle. We only need ourselves and the force that our convictions and our resources provide us with. We can win this battle.
17.05.06