The sector sport in Catalonia warned yesterday of his “Black future” if not work for its reactivation and go demand that the state inject 1 billion euros to be able to “subsist” until European funds arrive, according to Labor Promotion calculations. In an event organized by the employer, the sector presented its requests in a rescue plan that requires the Government to equate sports activities with cultural and therefore allow workouts until 10 p.m. –When the curfew begins– and that the athletes can return home later. They also demand that the federated competitions be resumed and that the capacity be increased from 50 to 70%.
According to the president of the Union of Sports Federations of Catalonia (UFEC), Gerard Esteva, the Government is “underestimating” Catalan sport by not taking into account the sector when applying measures, such as curfew , and warned that they are “on the verge of death”.
The President of Public Works, Josep Sánchez Llibre, assured that all the petitions will be moved to the meetings they have with the Government and insisted that the 1,000 MEUR must be injected “into a vein” so that they can survive. In addition, the sector demands that the federated competitions be resumed from this week and that the capacity in sports facilities be increased from 50% to 70%.
According to the UFEC, more than 70% of federated sports workouts are from 9 p.m., so he warned that if the curfew is applied to them they will not be able to train despite complying with health protocols. Esteva defended being able to resume all sporting activity because, she believes, when the competitions were canceled it was to be able to “stop mobility” and now “it turns out that it has not stopped but there is a lack of control.” “Sport is not only safe, but it is essential to fight for health,” he said. With regard to economic measures, the sector calls for a super-reduced VAT of 4% on sports services, the abolition of VAT on investments in sports equipment and the deduction in personal income tax of the fees for sports facilities and of licenses.
The intervention of the GEiEG
The president of the GEiEG, Francesc Cayuela, was one of the participants in the presentation of the Rescue Plan to the sports sector. “The clubs are very worried and tired of this situation. Since the pandemic began, we have lost too much social and income … these resources are necessary because we maintain grassroots and amateur sport. It is becoming more and more difficult to move forward “, he said during his speech at the event promoted by the UFEC.
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