TOP sports personalities in Spain have been interviewed about their thoughts concerning Catalunya's 'illegal' independence referendum – many of whom are from the region and would be competing in a brand-new national team if secession was voted for and internationally recognised.
Whilst the latter appears highly improbable – except in the case of former colonies, blatant violations of human rights or armed conflict, the global community does not allow for a territory to unilaterally declare independence – some of Spain's and Catalunya's sporting greats believe the people should at least be allowed to vote and express their views.
Yesterday (Thursday), 26 sporting competitors, trainers and other professionals took part in the above-pictured campaign L'Esport pel Sí ('Sports for Yes') organised by the Catalunya Olympic Committee (COC) as a pro-independence demonstration.
They included synchronised swimming trainer Anna Tarrés, Olympic cyclist Marta Vilajosana, trainer for Movístar Students Salva Maldonado, yachtswoman Natalia Viadufresne, beach volleyball player Sergi Ten and marathon runner Arcadi Alibés, whilst other professionals playing elsewhere in the world supported the independence campaign remotely, including basketball player Helena Boada and footballer Oriol Rosell, who plays for the Portuguese team Portimonense.
They all appear in a video backing the creation of a Republic of Catalunya, which they believe will increase income for sports in the region and promote development of sportspersons, as well as allowing competitors from the region to take part in European and World championship competitions and the Olympics representing Catalunya.
Ex-Barça FC and current Manchester City trainer Pep Guardiola (second picture) has never made any secret of his support for the referendum at least, if not actual secession, and Olympic synchronised swimmer Ona Carbonell says: “If I had to make a choice, I'd choose catalán nationality,” although she admits that she has 'always been proud' to represent Spain abroad – feelings which are generally shared by athlete Núria Picas.
MotoGP rider Aleix Espargaró has railed against the Spanish government for its 'barbaric attack on democracy' through treating the referendum as a criminal offence and a case of misuse of public funds, arresting 14 key politicians and forcing 712 mayors to testify in court.
But not everyone in the sporting world shares their convictions.
ATP world number one tennis star Rafa Nadal, from Mallorca, says he does not want to see Catalunya break away from Spain.
“The October 1 referendum should not be happening,” he says firmly.
“I consider that everyone should comply with the law and cannot break it at will.
“I cannot drive through a red traffic light just because I don't think it should be on red.”
Tae-Kwondo champion from Figueres (Girona province), Joel González, says: “I'm very happy to be from Figueres and to be both catalán and Spanish. I'm not afraid to say that.”
MotoGP prodigy Marc Márquez (pictured left) – currently on his way to his fourth world championship in just five seasons at the top level – comes from Cervera in the land-locked Catalunya province of Lleida, bordering the Pyrénées.
“I'm catalán, because I live in Catalunya, but I feel Spanish because I'm within Spain,” he admits.
FC Barcelona's Cesc Fàbregas firmly believes the feelings of being catalán and also Spanish are 'compatible'.
“I feel catalán just like everyone else from the region, but I look at my passport and see that I'm Spanish,” Fàbregas reveals.
Other sports personalities are either on the fence or non-committal, in some cases agreeing the people of Catalunya should have the right to vote in a referendum, but being against the idea of the region's becoming a separate country.
The Gasol brothers, Pau and Marc – among Spain's biggest sporting exports and at the sharp end of the NBA basketball league in the USA – avoid talking about independence, but say they agree with at least a non-binding public opinion poll.
Barça's Gerard Piqué (pictured right), partner of Colombian pop-rocker Shakira and father of her two sons, believes the referendum on October 1 should go ahead.
“There's no connection between being in favour of the referendum and being in favour of independence,” he says.
Olympic swimmer and water-borne whizz-kid Mireia Belmonte also avoided giving a concrete view.
“The truth is that this is a subject I don't like to pass an opinion on,” she says, frankly.
“I've always said that Catalunya is Spain.”
Football clubs, collectively, seem to have strong opinions.
FC Barcelona has slammed 'any action taken against democracy and the right to decide', a view that has been mirrored by Girona FC.
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