Interview with David Moner, president of the UFEC

The Madrid-based sports daily newspaper, AS, published an interview with David Moner, president of the Union of Catalan Sport Federations.
This newspaper has been very belligerent with the Catalans in the past and has clearly positioned itself against the recognition of Catalonia (as most Spanish media).

Here is the interview:

03.12.2004

David Moner, President of the Union of Sport Federations of Catalonia, is convinced that in less than two years "many Catalan selections will be recognized and will compete in Europe".


How can you explain the final result of the FIRS voting?
The whole Congress was a shame and disgraceful and strongly influenced by the Spanish government. If the voting had been secret we would have won by majority. The put pressure on all the delegations and they sent threatening letters. I represent the Catalan sport, more than 10 000 federated clubs, and we only wanted to be threated normally. All we want is to live in a normal country, without pressures. It is not a sin to revindicate our selections.

Did the Catalan politicians celebrate the B World Cup in excesss?
In March, the Catalans scored a great goal against Gomez Angulo and the Spanish Federation. And now they have scored. It is half time and we are drawingm, the game is still being played. Maybe the Catalan politicians celebrated the title too much but the threatening letters of the Spanish government were decisive.

Did the Catalan politicians fail?
Everyone failed, the Catalan and the Spanish. To the Spaniards this issue has become fundamentalist. The Catalan sportsmen believe in dialogue but we do not want that, after 25 years of democracy, some Spanish politicians, who are authentic talibans, come to us repeating that Spain is a great one and free (NB: "Una grande y libre", was Franco's motto).

Despite the result of the voting you will still appeal to the TAS?
Yes, we will request justice because in Fresno all the FIRS's statutes were violated. And we are going to win. Surely. Sooner or later we will obtain our objective and we will compete in Europe. And this is something that all the Spanish politicians and the presidents of the national federations will have to accept.

Do you share Carod Rovira's opinion on Madrid 2012?
(NB: Carod Rovira appealled the Catalans to show opposition to Madrid's bid for the Olympics)
No. The Catalan sport supports the candidacy of Madrid the same that we would support Seville or Cuenca. The UFEC is not represented by any politician and we are not separatists.

Is your next objective to propose a Catalan for the presidency of the Spanish Federation of roller sports?
We would like that to happen but before we must negotiate with the Spanish Superior Council of Sports.

In two years how many Catalan national teams will obtain the international recognition?
Enough. More than five or six. And it will be normal. For example the Catalan federation of Bodybuilders has competed in the last world-cup alongside the Spanish and nothing has happened.


Source:
http://www.as.com/articulo.html?xref=20041203dasdaimas_10&type=Tes&d_date=20041203&anchor=dasmas