When Andoni Azurmendi (San Sebastián, 1967) began to consider the possibility of running for the presidency of the Spanish Badminton Federation, a consultation was required. Before taking that step, he asked for the approval of his daughter, Clara, a promising youngster on the Spanish team, who has received a scholarship from the Joaquín Blume residence for 9 years. She agreed to her father’s purpose to lead the body.
The Gipuzkoan president will officially begin his journey starting this Thursday, coinciding with the final announcement of the results. Last Monday, Spanish badminton gave him its support, without fissures, with 47 votes in favor and 6 blank.
At the gates of that mandate, Andoni Azurmendi explains his government plans in an interview with EFE. It will bring the FESBA closer to territorial federations, clubs, coaches, referees and players. You will not charge a single euro and will bet on a “transparent, clean and honest” management.
– What leads you to take the step of leading Spanish badminton?
– I come from the world of Physical Education, I have a degree from INEF and my life has always been linked to sport, although now I dedicate myself to a family business that has nothing to do with it. I have always been closely linked to badminton, I have been a coach and have presided over the federation of the Basque Country for ten years. My daughter is a high-level athlete, she has been in the Blume for 9 years and is in the Spanish team. I know, therefore, the Spanish federation and high-level sport. Over the years I have seen that, although some things have been done very well in the Spanish federation, because otherwise the successes of recent years would not have been achieved, I have also identified the shortcomings. Above all, I have missed the connection of the Spanish federation with the territorial federations, that approach to the local, which should be the basis of the Spanish federation because the territorial federations are the ones that support its structure. There have been things that have been done that were not right, issues of dubious morality and which we were very against. But it is one thing to be on the barrier seeing things that are being done wrong and another for someone to call you and say: ‘Andoni, why don’t you take the step?’ I think it was time to take the step. I met like-minded people and the Assembly came out with an overwhelming majority.
-What do you collect as learning from your stage in the Basque federation?
-The volume of work that the Basque federation supports must be only 5 percent of the Spanish one. At the management level. Therefore, it is not the same at all, but the treatment with the institutions, with the clubs and with other federations is. That connection is the one that I have missed.
-It appeals to the illusion for change. Because it is necessary?
-The previous president (David Cabello) entered 16 years ago, with a young team. The first years were sensational, but then I would say that they were left without motivation and without enthusiasm. I have always thought that a motivated and excited person achieves three times as much. And those motivations often do not come because your salary goes up, which also helps, but rather by making you feel comfortable doing something. In the federation, lately, a climate of apathy had been generated, there was reluctance in what was done. With hope we are going to make people want to give their best again. I hope we reach high levels, because in the federation there are very qualified people.
– Should it be a requirement that the federation reach the level of excellence achieved by Carolina Marín and her coach, Fernando Rivas?
– They are an example of a job well done, the results are there. The sports part is the most visual and because of them people now know badminton. Ten years ago many did not even know how it was written! Now, instead, they know who Carolina Marín is. She and Fernando have put badminton at such high levels, at least in the sports part. On the management and organizational side, I think we must also get there. In any company, excellence is what we must seek.
– Where will you start working?
-My election as president was on Monday, but I have been designing what I want the federation to be for some time. We are defining the team, something fundamental because it is the team that is going to create enthusiasm. I will try to include the more people the better. In these years the feeling of belonging to the Spanish federation has been lost. Territorial federations, clubs and players saw the FESBA as an alien entity, when in reality we all have to feel part of it. We will seek an interconnection between all parties and that the center of attention is formed by the athletes, giving importance to the technicians and the referees. We will seek an interconnection between all of us who make up national badminton.
– How would you like your presidency to be remembered the day you step down?
– I would like, knowing that we are going to make mistakes, that the image of a transparent, clean and honest presidency remains, in which there is no atypical or anomalous movement of money. The part of economic management worries me and I want there to be a redistribution of the economy in the federation in an honest and clean way.
– What do you expect in 2021, a year with the Olympic Games and the World Cup in Huelva?
– I hope the Olympic Games can be held. I cross my fingers for it. On the other hand, the Badminton World Cup is one of the most watched sporting events in the world, although we are in the part of the world where perhaps badminton does not have as much media coverage. It is followed by millions of viewers around the world, so getting the third Badminton World Cup in Spain, after those held in Seville and Madrid, is very important; On top of that, it will be played in Huelva, the city of Carolina, with high chances of getting a good result. The FESBA will try to make it a sporting and organizational success.
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