February 22, El Molinón. Around the table, Gijón City Council, Spanish Federation, Sporting, University of Oviedo, Asturian Football Federation and Chamber of Commerce. The topic, the details of the FIFA requirements that the City Council refuses to sign given what it implies for the municipal coffers. Overcoming this filter is essential to continue aspiring to host the World Cup. The University of Oviedo presents an economic impact report that estimates the economic return of the World Cup event at 250 million. La Española explains that signing these documents is not binding. It will only be if Gijón is finally the venue. The representatives of the municipal government, Jesús Martínez Salvador and Ángela Pumariega, listen. Sporting, through the mouth of David Guerra, executive president, later explains that a pact of silence has been reached between all the participants in the meeting and that conclusions will be drawn later. Two hours later everything explodes with a harsh statement from the City Council about which the red and white club claims to know nothing until it is made public. David Guerra himself explains it this way in the interview that this Sunday he publishes exclusively in LA NUEVA ESPAÑA.
-If the signing of the protocol united wills, what explains why everything exploded fifteen days later?
–In the last meeting in El Molinón we reached an agreement not to say anything publicly about what was discussed there and in addition the municipal corporation tells us that it will call us the next day to talk about this issue. The next thing we know is an unfortunate statement in which we are struck by the fact that this is said about a group that has invested amounts of money in an institution like Sporting and that also represents Sporting. Let’s not forget that Sporting and Orlegi are the same. That the one who was at that meeting was Sporting. We were quite surprised. We believed that due to the respect that the University of Oviedo and the rest of the institutions present deserve, it was not very respectful towards them either. With that surprise we reacted the next day (with another statement).
–Did you not know that hours after the meeting the City Council would make a statement with its decision?
-No. We learned of his decision from the statement.
–Before that, did you have hope for a positive response to the FIFA requirements?
–I don’t know if that is, but I think that all parties left with the feeling of having clarified all the points that were later discussed in the statement.
–Do you feel betrayed?
–It is rather the surprise and disappointment that it happened that way. We always go ahead and have the loyalty to respect the agreements reached. It will continue to be like this. It is one of the hallmarks that are at the level of an institution like Sporting. We are going to have great respect for the City Council and, of course, the Principality. We thank Adrián (Barbón) and all the people of the Principality for their involvement and support. They have truly been there to help make this happen.
2024-03-03 15:00:32
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